El Paso Times from El Paso, Texas • 12

El Times Friday, March 15, 1991 New Mexico El Paso 34-count indictment names former Navajo chairman, his son Associated Press Former Navajo Chairman Peter MacDonald, his son and a businessman are named in a 34-count indictment alleging they tried to take over a computer company on the reservation, prosecutors in Phoenix said Thursday. A federal grand jury returned the indictment against MacDonald, son Peter "Rocky" MacDonald and Carlos Pimentel, a California businessman described as a longtime, friend of the elder MacDonald. The indictment charges the trio with 14 counts of bribing a tribal official, 10 counts of interstate travel in use aid of an of facility in racketeering enterprises, four counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, two counts of conspiracy and one count of racketeering. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wallace Kleindienst declined further comment Thursday.

The indictment was announced by Linda Akers, U.S. attorney for Arizona, and FBI special agentin -charge James Ahearn. The indictment alleges that the MacDonalds and Pimentel devised a scheme between Octo- ber 1987 and December 1989 to take control Navajo Technologies Inc. in Leupp, and to cause the tribe to loan the company $2.25 million. A call to Peter.

MacDonald's Flagstaff home yielded a message MacDonald saying it was MacDonald disconnected. He is out of tribal jail working on appeals and on his election-fraud trial scheduled for Wednesday. The indictment says the trio agreed that the elder MacDonald would receive more than 3 million shares of Navajo Technologies, Inc. stock, although his ownership in the company would be kept secret until the completion of his term as chairman. Peter MacDonald was chairman from 1974 to 1982 and again was elected in November 1986.

He was removed by the Tribal Council Feb. 17, 1989, after testimony in a U.S. Senate hearing regarding possible bribes and kickbacks involving the chairman. Cheers for the troops CC AS Grace Saenz El Paso Times Riverside High School B-team cheerleaders Rubina Flores, left, Letty Lopez, center, and Letty Favela showed their support Thursday at a patriotic rally at the school's football stadium. The rally honored the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade and 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Bliss units that served in the Persian Gulf.

Bernalillo jail checks deputy's charge that man was roughed up Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE An allegation by a sheriff's deputy that two corrections officers roughed up a man brought to the Bernalillo County Detention Center is being investigated by jail officials. "We are treating it seriously and investigating it," jail spokesman Joe Monahan said. "We will interview each of the individuals who was present." He refused to name the officers involved. An employee in the Law Enforcement Center records office spotted the allegation during a routine record review and forwarded the information to jail Internal Affairs. Deputy Dorinda Marie Nieto said in her routine arrest report that March 3,, two corrections officers roughed up Jimmy Garcia, 29, at the jail booking "I do believe KZIA carries a Cable lot lin of said.

good programming," CurThe Las Cruces station also Continued from 1B will broadcast three newscasts, its own, one from El Paso and carried on El Paso's Channel one from 14-KCIK. ning Monday, the station will Albuquerque. said KZIA will make air the newscasts from Albuan effort to acquire popular querque's Channel 4-KOB programs carried by KTTV if (NBC). The station also will be viewers request them. Channel 4- rebroadcasting KZIA will be airing Los KDBC's 6 p.m.

newscast at 9:30 Angeles Dogers games, selected p.m. (CBS). San Diego Padres games, New "With the news from AlbuMexico State University Aggie querque, the replay of El Paso basketball games, University of news and our local news, I feel New Mexico Lobo basketball we have the most comprehengames, Southwest Conference sive news in southern New football and basketball games, Mexico and West car racing and wrestling. said. Bond set for alleged gang organizer Associated Press bench warrant in Farmington.

ALBUQUERQUE A man A 20-count indictment indicted for allegedly trying to against Todd was filed Feb. set up a gang of high school 27. students to commit crimes is in The state alleges Todd was the Bernalillo County Deten- trying to organize current or tion Center on $100,000 bond. former Albuquerque Manzano Richard Todd, 41, was ar- High School students into a rested last Thursday on a gang. Deaths in the area Man served tanislada Calletana Griffin.

Delgado She and was Es- a field laborer and had lived in in Air Force, Artesia since 1949. Arrangements are by Terpening and Korean war Son Mortuary. John Robert "Bob" Conthe way, an Korean Air war, Force died veteran Thurs- of Roswell day (March 14, 1991) in Carlsbad. He was 58. Conway was a retired proEstella V.

Melendez, gram analyst for the Federal housekeeper Aviation Administration and Estella V. Melendez, 69, of had lived in Carlsbad for five Roswell died Wednesday years. (March 13, 1991). Rosary will Survivors include his wife, be at 7 p.m. today in LaGrone Della; his son, Billy E.

Deen Funeral Chapel where and his daughters, neral Mass will be at 9 a.m. Joanne Robin Clark, Jeri Rae Saturday. Burial will be in Harwell, Jacqueline Rene South Park Cemetery. SurviEasley and Bettina Eileen vors include her mother, Cook. Ramona Vasquez.

She was a Services are pending with housekeeper and had lived in Denton Funeral Home. Roswell all her life. Death notices are listed according to location of the mortuary. Other funerals today Artesia Espinoza, Blanca Jo, 11 a.m., St. Edward's Catholic Church, 209 N.

Losoya, Guadalupe, Carlsbad. Rosa field laborer Glass, Weldon, 2 p.m., University Rosa Losoya, 54, of Artesia Methodist Church, 2000 S. Locust, died Wednesday (March 13, Las Cruces. 1991). Graveside service will Ingram, Sterling, 2 p.m., Pilgrim be at 11 a.m.

today in Rest Baptist Church, Carlsbad. Woodbine Cemetery. Survi- Muncy, Bobby Wayne, 2 p.m., First Baptist Church, 220 Broadway, vors include her brothers, Truth of Consequences. Jose Losoya, Audenzio Lo- Wagoner, Henry 2 p.m., Lasoya and Martin Losoya; and Grone Funeral Chapel, 900 S. Main, her sisters, Epifania Perez, Roswell.

desk, where she had brought him in on a police charge of domestic violence. "I advised jail personnel that Mr. Garcia had done nothing to be put in this position but I was Nieto said in the report. She said she was told by a city police sergeant at the desk that she was too serious about the situation. Chief sheriff's Deputy Worth French said Wednesday that NM House Associated Press New Mexico's congressmen say they will work together to clear one of the roadblocks to opening a test storage phase for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant southeast of Carlsbad.

Rep. Steve Schiff, said he and Reps. Joe Skeen, and Bill Richardson, met Tuesday in Washington and decided to, work together on a bill to withdraw the site from the public domain, Judgeships Continued from 1B network that's in operation." Kassouf said of the 36 federal judges on the bench in Texas, six are Hispanic, two are women, and one is black. Hispanics accounted for one of the state's population in 1990, while blacks account for nearly 12 percent. Carr said Thursday he was told that it might be eight to 10 months before the confirmation Nieto had not yet been interviewed by jail investigators.

"She is very reliable and a good officer." French said. "If she said it I know it's true." City police spokeswoman Mary Molina Mescall said Wednesday the department will await the results of the jail investigation to. determine whether to investigate the police sergeant named in the report. "At the booking window, Mr. members to transferring it from the Interior Department to the Department of Energy.

Sens. Pete Domenici, and Jeff Bingaman, are waiting for House action. WIPP is a Department of Energy project designed to bury plutonium waste from the nation's defense industry 2,150 feet below the surface in salt beds. The opening has been delayed by environmental and safety concerns and the pending withdrawal of the site process is complete. He said he did not when, if confirmed, he would take the bench.

Carr, a native of Midland, graduated from Rice University and earned a law degree from the University of Texas. He practiced law with the Houston firm of Fulbright and Jaworski. He joined Grambling and Mounce in 1974 and currently is a partner and director of the firm. He said most of his practice has been in federal courts, and Garcia was attempting to count her not to get too concerned his money when the booking about what was happening, the officer did become impatient report said. and upset with Mr.

Garcia for The jail is funded by the city counting his money of Albuquerque and Bernalillo Nieto's report said. "The book- County. It is managed by the ing officer pulled Mr. Garcia city. by the collar and shoved him, The city's independent counand the floor correction officer sel, Patrick Apodaca, has begun (male) name unknown did reviewing accusations of brutalthrow Mr.

Garcia to the floor ity by corrections officers at the and handcuff him." jail and the manner in which Guards then ignored her pro- Internal Affairs has hantest and the sergeant advised dled those allegations. work together on WIPP bill from public use. The delegation objected to the The House Interior and Insu- Interior Department's decision lar Affairs Committee last week to transfer the land to the passed a resolution that nulli- Department of Energy adminisfied the Interior Department's tratively, saying the transfer earlier administrative transfer must go through the legislative of the land to the Department of process' to provide adequate Energy, thus blocking the De- safety and financial partment of Energy's plans to guarantees to the state. begin testing radioactive waste But the lawmakers told the at WIPP. House committee that in exThe resolution was proposed change for temporarily blocking by Richardson and was sup- the tests, they would proceed ported by the other four mem- immediately with legislation to bers of the state's delegation.

transfer the land. that his specialty "is in the University of Texas. He is labor He immediate past president of El also represents Thomason Hos- Paso Bar Association and has pital. served as chairman of the State Carr currently is listed in Bar's administration of justice "Best Lawyers in America," committee. and serves on the State Republi- Means was born in Roswell.

can executive committee. He earned his undergraduate Sparks, currently, executive and law degrees from Southern officer of Grambling and Methodist University. Mounce, has practiced law in He served as a justice on the Austin and El Paso since 1963. state's 10th Court of Appeals at He is the attorney for the El Waco, where he authored 85 Paso Independent School Dis- opinions, all of which either trict. werer unchallenged or susSparks is an Austin native tained by the Texas Supreme and holds a law degree from the Court.

New Mexico Legislature King weighs budget, revenue legislation Associated Press SANTA FE: Gov. Bruce King is engaged in a delicate balancing act as he attempts to meld a budget he mostly likes and revenue bills he doesn't like quite so much. The governor's staff has indicated that King can live with the overall level of appropiations and revenues in the financial package. has expressed reservations about parts of the $2.03 billion budget and parts of the $63.8 million revenue package he is being asked to sign. So he has been sending out feelers to lawmakers to see whether any modifications can New Mexico Legislature be made in the budget before the lawmakers adjourn Saturday.

His main goal is to improve public employee salary raises beyond the 1.5 percent for teachers and state workers and none at all for higher education workers. "Informally, he is asking the Legislature if they can live without parts of House Bill 2 and if there's any chance they can broaden and sweeten the (public employee) compensation package, King spokesman John McKean said. He acknowledged, "The answer may be King's primary disappointment is that raises were not provided for higher education employees, particularly the non-teaching staff not covered by university programs to raise instructors' salaries through gradually escalating tuition increases. "The people who really get hosed are the staff," McKean said. Also, King does not relish the state taking taxation authority from local governments to finance education and state government.

Although King has the final say on legislation, he is limited. He can, for instance, take things out of the budget, but cannot add anything, such as salary increases. On the revenue bill that requires government to pay gross-receipts taxes on its purchases, to pay, gross-receipts taxes on its sales and taking part of cities' tax funds in 1992, King is likewise limited. The governor cannot selectively remove parts of that bill because it appropriates no money. Bill prompted by Bengal tiger dispute passes Senate SANTA FE Legislation prompted by the story of Calvin, a 7-month-old Bengal tiger whose owner was ordered to turn him over to a zoo, passed the Senate Thursday and went to the House.

The bill authorizes the state Department of Game and Fish to issue permits for importing and possessing species of cats not indigenous to New Mexico. Calvin recently was taken Associated Press from his owner and was placed in the Rio Grande Zoo in Albuquerque amid questions about whether he was legally brought into New Mexico. Under the proposed legislation, the department may issue a permit for $100 if an animal has been obtained legally and the owner has been issued the required federal permits. The legislation could lead to the return of Calvin to his owner, Sen. William Davis, R-Albuquerque, said.

Some other senators objected that the legislation wouldn't make Calvin legal because he was brought into the state illegally. And they said the state has no business issuing permits for wild animals. "We have enough trouble with pit bulls," Majority Leader Tito Chavez, D-Albuquerque, said. Calvin's owner, Mike McMullen of Albuquerque, originally took him to a Los Lunas animal clinic to be declawed and neutered. The tiger was ordered held at the clinic pending an investigation into how the animal was brought into the state.

Calvin was turned over to the zoo last month after a court hearing and private meetings between attorneys and state District Judge Burt Cosgrove of Albuquerque. Calvin weighs more than 70 pounds, but a full -grown Bengal tiger can weigh more than 400 pounds..