Religious sect leader sentenced for child abuse released

KRQE News, New Mexico/February 1, 2022

By Allison Giron

New Mexico – The leader of a military-style cult sentenced to 72 years in prison for child abuse, rape and kidnapping has been released. A judge is allowing Deborah Green to withdraw her plea in the case.

Green was the self-proclaimed general of the aggressive Christianity missions training corps which has a compound south of Gallup. She was arrested in 2017 along with her husband and son-in-law amid widespread allegations of physical and sexual abuse of the children there.

Green later plead no contest and was sentenced to 71 years. However, she appealed claiming she was actually innocent.

After her attorney’s cited recent case law, Judge James Sanchez ordered her convictions on eight counts vacated. He also ordered Green to be released but did leave the door open for her case to be taken to trial.

The District Attorney’s Office says they are currently analyzing the ruling and the case to see what their next steps will be.