ALBUQUERQUE – The U.S. Marshal Service (USMS) arrested Colleen Calamia, 37, of Albuquerque late this afternoon on a criminal complaint charging her with harboring and concealing a federal fugitive, announced U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez and U.S. Marshal Conrad E. Candelaria. Calamia will make her initial appearance in federal court tomorrow morning.
The criminal complaint alleges that Calamia harbored her husband, Mario Montoya, 31, after he absconded from a halfway house in Albuquerque on May 20, 2016. Court records reflect that Montoya, who was under indictment for being a felon in possession of a firearm and theft of mail, was released from federal custody on an order requiring him to reside in an Albuquerque-area halfway house and to comply with other conditions. The complaint alleges that Montoya violated the conditions of his release on May 20, 2016, by absconding from the halfway house and violating other release conditions. Montoya allegedly fled from the halfway house in a black sport utility vehicle.
On May 20, 2016, the court issued an emergency warrant authorizing Montoya’s arrest for violating his release conditions. According to the criminal complaint, on May 24, 2016, the USMS learned that Montoya was frequenting a residence located at 312 Western Skies (the residence) in Albuquerque. While conducting surveillance near the residence, USMS Deputies and Task Force officers allegedly observed Calamia driving a black Escalade that parked in front of the residence. They then allegedly observed Calamia and Montoya exit the vehicle and move objects from the vehicle and into the residence.
The complaint alleges that Calamia then left the residence in the black Escalade and USMS Deputies executed a traffic stop on her vehicle. When the Deputies questioned Calamia about Montoya’s whereabouts, she allegedly told them that Montoya was alone in the residence.
According to the complaint, when a USMS arrest team attempted to serve the arrest warrant on Montoya, he fired upon the deputies, initiating an exchange of gunfire. After the arrest team was able to retreat to a safe location, a second team later entered the residence. The second team found Montoya in a closet; he had been struck in the exchange of gunfire and was deceased.
If convicted, Calamia faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
The USMS investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob A. Wishard is prosecuting it. Mr. Wishard was also prosecuting the case against Montoya, which was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
The shooting incident resulting in Montoya’s death is under investigation. As a matter of policy, Department of Justice agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service, may not comment on ongoing investigations.