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The New Mexico Second Judicial District Attorney's Office has received nearly $3 million in SAKI funding since its first award in FY2018. The District Attorney's Office is utilizing their initial $1-million award to enhance the prosecutorial processes that have resulted from testing sexual assault kits (SAKs) in the city of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. The City of Albuquerque Police Department received SAKI funding in FY2017; therefore, the District Attorney's Office has seen an increased caseload. The office has established a Sexual Assault Cold Case Working Group, contracted additional personnel, and is currently developing and implementing victim-centered communication and coordination strategies.
The New Mexico Second Judicial District Attorney's Office received another SAKI award in FY2019 for $1 million, which allowed them to continue their project work. The funding is also being utilized to support two full-time secretaries and two full-time paralegals; implement DNA analysis through forensic genetic genealogy testing and complex screening in hopes of identifying serial offenders; continue prosecuting cases from previous SAKI-funded projects; and expand the agency's capacity to serve victims, process SAKs, prosecute offenders, and eliminate the number of previously unsubmitted SAKs.
In FY2020, the site received an additional $993,979 in SAKI funding to continue supporting project personnel and hire four positions—a senior trial attorney, trial attorney, senior investigator, and victim advocate. Project funding will also be utilized to continue investigating and prosecuting cases identified in previous SAKI awards.
In FY2022, SAKI funding was awarded in the amount of $1.5 million to the Second Judicial District Attorney's Office to continue supporting project personnel and hire three additional team members—two senior trial attorneys and one special investigator. The SAKI team will provide pre-screening support for approximately 700 remaining cases to be sent for DNA testing, and for advanced screening, investigation, and prosecution of 159 cases.
For more information on the specific SAKI awards for this site, see the table below.
| Year | Amount | Purpose Area |
|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | $1,000,000 | Investigation and Prosecution of Cold Case Sexual Assaults |
| FY2019 | $1,000,000 | Investigation and Prosecution of Cold Case Sexual Assaults |
| FY2020 | $993,979 | Investigation and Prosecution of Cold Case Sexual Assaults |
| FY2022 | $1,500,000 | Investigation and Prosecution of Cold Case Sexual Assaults |
Please direct all media inquiries to
Trial Halted as Serial Rapist in Cold Case Pleads No Contest to Assault Charges Involving Six Women
— newsdesk, ABQ Raw News, May 10, 2024
"Today, Edward Duran entered a plea of no contest to 15 charges of First Degree Sexual Penetration, each involving incidents of Great Bodily Harm and Mental Anguish, affecting six individuals. Some of these offenses date back over three decades. Utilizing forensic genealogy testing, investigators and the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Cold Case Rape Unit, also known as SAKI, linked Duran’s DNA to the crimes.
Senior Trial Attorney Jack Jacks emphasized the significance of the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Unit. Jacks stated “the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Unit is so important to this community. We’re now able to use genetic testing to fight for justice for these victims who will not be forgotten.”"
Dozens of lawyers volunteer to help prosecute rape kit backlog cases
— Brittany Bade, KRQE, Mar 3, 2020
The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s office is rolling out a new initiative to prevent another devastating and dangerous backlog in the court system.
DNA links former Bernalillo County firefighter to 2009 rape case
— Rebecca Atkins, KRQE Media, Oct 22, 2019
DNA results from a backlog of rape kits link Celso Montano Jr. to rape in 2009.
Could $1 million grant help ease city's rape kit backlog?
— Shellye Leggett, KOAT 7, Oct 4, 2018
The Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office received a $1 million grant as part of the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative for the investigation and prosecution of cases stemming from previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits.
Funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative aims to create a coordinated community response that ensures just resolution to sexual assault cases. Through this program, funding is provided to support multidisciplinary community response teams engaged in the comprehensive reform of jurisdictions approaches to sexual assault cases resulting from evidence found in previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits.
