A PECOS NEW MEXICO REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER IS HEADING TO PRISON FOR 35 MONTHS. THOMAS KEESING, 62, WAS CONVICTED OF EMBEZZLING OVER 3-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE INDIAN PUEBLO FEDERAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BETWEEN 2003 AND 2008.
THE CORPORATION WAS SET UP BY THE 19 PUEBLOS OF NEW MEXICO TO DEVELOP LAND THAT ONCE HAD BEEN THE SITE OF THE ALBUQUERQUE INDIAN SCHOOL. KEESING’S CO-DEFENDANT IS BRUCE SANCHEZ, A FORMER GOVERNOR OF THE SANTA ANA PUEBLO.
KEESING AND SANCHEZ MUST PAY RESTITUTION OF 3-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLARS. KEESING MUST ALSO PAY OVER 550-THOUSAND DOLLARS, THE FEDERAL TAXES OWED ON THE MONEY HE EMBEZZLED.
SANCHEZ WAS SENTENCED THIS PAST SEPTEMBER TO 51 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR HIS ROLE IN THE SCHEME.
