Navajo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting His Uncle

April 1, 2010 - PHOENIX—Joseph Peter Begay, 21, of Pinon, Ariz., was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Martone to 37 months in prison for assaulting his uncle, a 46-year-old member of the Navajo Nation Indian Tribe. On January 15, 2010, Begay pleaded guilty in federal court to assault with a dangerous weapon.

On August 10, 2009, Begay, his uncle, and other family members were together when Begay, who had been consuming alcohol, became angered and began yelling at his uncle. Begay then ran towards the residence where he was staying, broke one of the windows, and retrieved a knife from the residence. Begay’s uncle, the victim, tried to calm Begay down when Begay stabbed the victim in his shoulder area, back and neck. As a result of the stabbing, the victim sustained a critical eight-centimeter injury near his carotid artery and stab wounds to his shoulder, back, and neck.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Navajo Department of Law Enforcement, the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.