FBI News:ALBUQUERQUE ― Terrence Cachini, 31, an enrolled member and resident of Zuni Pueblo, pled guilty Thursday in Federal Court in Albuquerque, to assaulting a minor resulting in serious bodily injury.
Cachini’s plea agreement recommends five years of imprisonment followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
Cachini was arrested March 6, 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with assaulting a female child by striking and biting her Feb. 24, 2015, resulting in serious bodily injury to the victim. According to the complaint, as the result of the assault, the victim sustained extensive bruising to her entire body consistent with multiple and repeated impacts, which could have resulted in muscle breakdown, kidney failure, and potentially death.
Cachini was indicted March 24, 2015, and was charged with assaulting a female by striking, kneeing and biting her, resulting in serious bodily injury.
According to the indictment, Cachini committed the crime between Jan. 5, 2015 and Feb. 23, 2015, on Zuni Pueblo in McKinley County.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Cachini pled guilty to an information charging him with assaulting a minor under the age of 16 years, resulting in substantial bodily injury. In entering the guilty plea, Cachini admitted that between Jan. 5, 2015 and Feb. 23, 2015, he assaulted the minor victim on more than one occasion by striking and injuring the victim. Cachini acknowledged that as the result of the assaults, the victim suffered lacerations and significant bruising. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Gallup office of the FBI and the Zuni Pueblo Tribal Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Mease is prosecuting the case.
