ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A Laguna man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for a fatal DWI crash that killed three people in 2022.
On January 31, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced the sentencing of Cody Allen Charlie, 38, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Laguna. Charlie had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of second- degree murder for the deaths of three victims in a high-speed crash on Interstate 40 near mile marker 130 on August 7, 2022.
According to court documents, Charlie was intoxicated and traveling at 116 miles per hour while using his cell phone when he crashed into another vehicle, forcing it off the highway. The vehicle rolled over upon impact, killing all three occupants. Instead of stopping to help, Charlie fled the scene on foot.
Following an investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Laguna Police Department, and New Mexico State Police, Charlie was arrested and charged with three counts of second-degree murder under federal law. Court proceedings revealed that Charlie had prior convictions for driving while intoxicated and multiple speeding offenses.
Charlie pleaded guilty in June 2024 under a Rule 11(c)(1)(C) plea agreement, which recommended a prison sentence between 10 and 20 years. During his plea hearing, Charlie admitted to acting with 'malice aforethought' by engaging in reckless and dangerous behavior that led to the deaths of the three victims.
In addition to his 15year prison sentence, Charlie will serve five years of supervised release and is required to make full monetary restitution to the victims’ families. As a convicted felon, he is also prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm. During his supervised release, Charlie must participate in alcohol and substance-abuse monitoring, as well as complete mental health and substanceabuse programs.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany DuChaussee and Zachary C. Jones prosecuted the case.