A New Mexico man who led law enforcement on a chase through central La Plata County in a stolen vehicle from the Navajo Nation was sentenced Thursday to two years in prison.
Michael Ahkee, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of vehicular eluding in February for leading the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office on a 90 mph chase Dec. 30 on U.S. Highway 160 west of Durango. Law enforcement deployed spike strips and used tactical vehicle intervention, also known as a PIT maneuverer, to stop the vehicle.
“This case shows no respect to the authority of the law,” District Court Judge Suzanne Carlson said at a sentencing hearing Thursday. “The victim in this case is the community.”
La Plata County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Ahkee for vehicular eluding and aggravated motor vehicle theft, both Class 5 felonies. Prosecutors charged Ahkee with four counts, including vehicular eluding, aggravated motor theft and two counts of habitual criminal sentencing enhancers. Habitual criminal sentencing enhancers are for people who have been convicted of three or more felony offenses.
Ahkee pleaded guilty to one count of vehicular eluding, a Class 5 felony punishable by one to three years in prison followed by a mandatory parole period of two years.
Ahkee did not address the court Thursday.
Heather Little, a public defender representing Ahkee, said her client recognizes what he did was dangerous, and said he wouldn’t be in the position he is if it weren’t for his methamphetamine addiction.
“He’s looking at incarceration for a non-insignificant amount of time,” Little said. “His future will require him to find new interests and new hobbies.”
While being led out of the courtroom by sheriff’s deputies, Ahkee turned to his family in the gallery, held up two fingers and mouthed “I love you.”
bhauff@durangoherald.comAn earlier version of this story gave an incorrect name of the defense attorney representing Michael Ahkee.
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