Pinon Man Indicted for Assault and Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence

PHOENIX—A federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a four count indictment on August 11, 2010 against Jerrick Begay, 27, of Pinon, Arizona, for assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and two counts of discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.

The indictment alleges that on July 16, 2010, within the confines of the Navajo Indian Reservation, Begay assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon and caused serious bodily injury to the victim during the assault. The indictment further alleges that Begay used a firearm, a .22 caliber rifle, during the assault. Begay got into an altercation with the victim outside of his mother’s home. He soon proceeded to his grandfather’s home, retrieved a rifle, and shot the victim one time in the leg.

Convictions for assault with a deadly weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury both carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. A conviction for discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence carries a maximum penalty of no less than 10 years up to life, a $250,000 fine, or both. In determining an actual sentence, the judge will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.

An indictment is simply the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Navajo Division of Public Safety - Department of Criminal Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.