Local man accused of molesting young girl

By Leslie Wood
Staff Writer

GALLUP — A 39-year-old Gallup man was arrested on Saturday in connection with the series of alleged sexual assaults against a 10-year-old girl that reportedly spanned more than a year's time.

Travis Yabeny was booked into the Gallup-McKinley Adult Detention Center on three felony counts of criminal sexual penetration after police conducted a search of the Yabeny's apartment, located in the 200 block of Nizhoni Boulevard, he and his wife and stepdaughter once shared.

The Red Rock Elementary student notified the school's counselor of incidents where Yabenyallegedly initiated inappropriate sexual contact with her. She also reported bruising due to the most recent incident which allegedly occurred the day before. A representative for the Children, Youth and Family department then notified Gallup Police Department's detectives of the alleged assault.

According to a statement of probable caused released by the police department, the alleged assault occurred between the pair while the girl's mother was away at work between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. during a time span of about a year.

During an interview with detectives, the girl's mother said she walked into her daughter's bedroom, more than a year ago, to find a barely-clothed Yabeny sexually assaulting the young girl. A fight reportedly ensued between Yabeny and the girl's mother. Due to the noise, neighbors called police and Yabeny was subsequently arrested on charges of battery against a household member. However, the girl's mother did not notify police of the alleged sexual assault, according to the statement.

According to court documents, the battery charges were dismissed in magistrate court on Jan. 27 when the alleged victim failed to appear in court. The girl reportedly told police she was under the impression that her mother notified the police about the series of assaults and that Yabeny stayed in jail for a few days because of the incidents.

Yabeny reportedly justified the incident as a tool to teach the "curious" girl about what he and her mother did inside their bedroom, according to the statement.

Police booked pornographic videos, undergarments and bedding into evidence at the Gallup Police Department following a search warrant that was served at Yabeny's apartment.

The girl was taken into the custody of the State of New Mexico.