ALBUQUERQUE – Gary Begay, 23, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Kirtland, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to an assault charge. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Begay will be sentenced to nine years in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
Begay was arrested in June 2016, on an indictment charging him with sexual assault and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to the indictment, Begay committed the crimes on March 14, 2015, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in San Juan County, N.M.
During today’s proceedings, Begay pled guilty to Count 2 of the indictment charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury. In entering the guilty plea, Begay admitted assaulting the victim by striking the victim with his fists and a bottle, breaking the victim’s teeth and causing serious bodily injury to the victim. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI, the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety and the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Spindle is prosecuting the case.