ZUNI PUEBLO – Stanton Hannaweeke, a 61year-old resident of Zuni and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, appeared in federal court following a criminal complaint that charged him with aggravated sexual abuse involving children, as announced by Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Albuquerque Field Office. Hannaweeke will remain in custody until a preliminary and detention hearing, set for September 13, 2023.
According to the criminal complaint, on August 20, 2023, a minor identified as Jane Doe disclosed to her mother that Hannaweeke had sexually assaulted her the previous day. During subsequent interviews with law enforcement officials, Jane Doe revealed that Hannaweeke had initiated inappropriate contact with her approximately 3 to 4 years prior to her report. The seriousness of the allegations was further substantiated by corroborative statements from Jane Doe's siblings, who either had been informed about prior incidents or had witnessed them firsthand.
A complaint is only an allegation, and under the law, a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted on the current charge, Hannaweeke could potentially face a maximum sentence of lifetime imprisonment.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office conducted the investigation into this case, with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert James Booth II has been assigned to prosecute the case.