Latest news with #Benally
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
This top prospect just signed with BYU women's basketball
Brigham Young Cougars fans cheer up as Brigham Young Cougars plays Loyola Marymount Lions in an NCAA basketball game at Marriott Center in Provo on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Mengshin Lin, Deseret News Lee Cummard continues to add to his inaugural BYU roster. Four-star point guard Sydney Benally has signed with the Cougars, the program announced Monday. Originally committed to Princeton, Benally changed her mind this past December and instead chose to pledge to Amber Whiting at BYU. With her signing Monday, she is officially slated to arrive in Provo and play for a new head coach in Cummard. Advertisement 'Sydney is an all-around talent that impacts the game in so many ways,' Cummard said in a statement. 'She can score it, assist it, steal it and plays the game with a winner's mentality. Sydney is a winner on the court and in life. We are so excited for her to join our team and bring her high character and basketball abilities to better our program.' Benally is the two-time defending New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year, having averaged 20 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 3.2 steals per game in her senior campaign. In addition to Princeton, she garnered recruiting interest from UNLV and Northwestern before choosing the Cougars. With Benally's signing, she will join fellow incoming freshmen Yussuf Bolanle, Olivia Hamlin, Braeden Gunlock and Mariam Traore. Additionally, Cummard has added a senior transfer Lara Rohkohl from the College of Charleston.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Yahoo
3 men facing charges in connection to marijuana growing operation in San Juan County
SAN JUAN COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – There's been a sweeping federal indictment charging three men for an illegal marijuana operation. The indictment said the feds seized more than 8,000 pounds of marijuana, firearms, and 43 grams of meth. Dineh Benally, who once ran for president of the Navajo Nation, is currently in custody. They said Benally hired ten Chinese workers. The feds also charged his father, Donald Benally, and California resident Irving Rea Yui Lin. They said the operation had 25 farms over roughly 400 acres in the Shiprock area with roughly 1,107 cannabis greenhouses. The three are also accused of violating the Clean Water Act by putting pollutants in the San Juan River, filling a channel along the river's dam, and installing a sandbag dam along the river. Story continues below National: American Airlines plane, military helicopter collide near DCA, crash into river Crime: 14-year-old killed in robbery attempt, seven teens charged in connection Don't Miss: Lea County using technology to help find lost loved ones who wander away They are facing multiple charges including conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana, and manufacture of 1,000 kilograms and more of marijuana. If convicted, they face a minimum of ten years and up to life in prison. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
KRQE Newsfeed: DWI scandal, Illegal farms, Snow ahead, Infrastructure funds, Road improvements
New Mexico's U.S. Attorney Sheds Light On 'Secretive' Job Tax season is here. What you need to know to file your 2024 taxes in New Mexico San Miguel County deputy on leave facing new charge for leaving scene of crash New Mexico Strike Team leader speaks about fighting California wildfires Report reveals record-breaking levels of PFAS at Holloman Lake Lawmakers want to bring paid family and medical leave to New Mexico Google Maps to rename 'Gulf of Mexico' to 'Gulf of America' [1] Top federal prosecutor vows corruption scheme 'won't happen again' – Federal investigators are speaking out after the first member of the DWI dismissal scandal admitted to his role in the scheme. Friday, paralegal Rick Mendez admitted to his role, implicating his boss, attorney Thomas Clear III, and named several other players. According to Mendez's federal plea deal, officers would funnel DWI suspects to Mendez and Clear III's office by confiscating the person's driver's license and if they paid he'd conspire with officers to ensure they missed court. The Bernalillo County DA's office says last year their office had to dismiss 214 DWI cases because of credibility issues of officers involved in the investigation. [2] Years-long FBI investigation into former Navajo Nation presidential candidate – A man who once ran for president of the Navajo Nation is now in federal custody after being accused of running an illegal pot-growing operation in New Mexico. A federal investigation spanning more that five years found Dineh Benally was running dozens of marijuana farms across the state. The Navajo Nation tried to shut down Benally's operations in 2020 by getting a court injunction to stop him from growing on tribal land. But, according to court records, Benally kept growing. In the following months the FBI raided 25 farms around Shiprock. Benally is now facing six federal counts related to drug manufacturing and trafficking as well as polluting waterways. [3] Scattered snow and rain showers move in Wednesday – Tuesday will be similar to Monday with more mild temperatures and a breezy southwest wind. Some light rain and mountain snow will move into the Four Corners late Tuesday night. Scattered snow will move into western and northern New Mexico Wednesday morning, with a few spotty showers in eastern parts of the state. Snow and rain will already be wrapping up by Thursday morning. Warmer weather quickly returns Friday with this warming trend continuing into early next week. [4] Bernalillo County asks for infrastructure funding from lawmakers – Bernalillo County is submitting requests to the state legislature to improve Albuquerque's infrastructure. The county wants funds to help reconstruct Isleta and Bridge. The county also wants to construct a drainage system and improve the roadway on Barcelona and Blake. Lastly, they want to design, construct, and install 'traffic calming devices.' [5] Construction to start at Paseo Del Norte and Tramway intersection – The New Mexico Department of Transportation is working on improvements at Paseo del Norte and Tramway in Albuquerque. They will be installing new traffic signals and pedestrian access ramps. The first phase of the project will last about two months. One only lane will be open in each direction on Paseo del Norte during that time. Drivers are asked to slow down, expect delays and consider alternative routes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Years-long FBI investigation into former Navajo Nation presidential candidate
NAVAJO NATION (KRQE) – A massive drug-running operation, running afoul of state, federal, and tribal law. Now the man the feds say is responsible for a 'brazen criminal enterprise' is behind bars after the latest raid targeting illegal pot-growing operations in New Mexico, and the investigation dates years back. A man who once ran for president of the Navajo Nation is now in federal custody after an investigation spanning more than five years, and dozens of marijuana farms across New Mexico. The claims are wide-ranging, from drug trafficking to diverting waterways and even employing slave labor to maximize profits. KRQE is now learning of raids of two farms near Estancia last week, which were part of the latest investigation into Dineh Benally. 'Something we've been working on for several months from the FBI perspective with our partners,' says Raul Bujanda, FBI special agent in charge. New Mexico cannabis industry may soon experience major shift in policy enforcement According to federal court documents, the FBI started investigating Benally and his father Donald Benally in 2019 for growing operations in the Shiprock area. At the time, New Mexico's cannabis laws were more restrictive than they are today. Recreational use was not yet legal but the feds say Benally claimed it was his sovereign right to grow cannabis – a religious sacrament, he said, for native people. The Navajo Nation disagreed and attempted to shut down Benally's operations in 2020 by getting a court injunction to stop him from growing on tribal land. But, according to court records, Benally kept growing. In the following months, the FBI stepped in, raiding 25 farms around Shiprock, uncovering more than 1,100 grow houses, 260,000 live plants, and 60,000 pounds of packaged pot. The FBI also found evidence the farms employed Chinese workers who were paid little to nothing kept in substandard living conditions, and were also used as drug mules. New Mexico cannabis regulators look to establish task force to curb illegal activity Then there was the environmental impact of the operation with investigators uncovering unauthorized wells tapping the San Juan River, as well as dams made of sandbags to harness river water for irrigation. But shutting down those farms, according to the US attorney, did not stop Benally from staying in business. On Friday, the FBI descended on the two farms outside Estancia, which started as legal operations, but as a Larry Barker investigation last year revealed, state regulators revoked their licenses after finding they were violating state laws. Now those farms are shut down and piles and piles of pot have been seized. 'A lot of this is under court order, some people also were arrested,' says Special Agent Bujanda. Benally is facing six federal counts related to drug manufacturing and trafficking as well as polluting waterways. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
