Shiprock Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Attempting to Kill His Common-Law Wife

ALBUQUERQUE—This afternoon in federal court in Santa Fe, Michael Harrison, 29, a member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Shiprock, New Mexico, was sentenced to a 78-month term of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on an assault with intent to commit murder charge.

Harrison was arrested on federal assault charges on October 7, 2010 and has been in custody since that time. On October 27, 2010, he was charged in a four-count indictment with: (1) assault with intent to commit murder; (2) assault with a dangerous weapon; (3) assault resulting in serious bodily injury; and (4) abandonment or abuse of a child. On April 19, 2011, Harrison pled guilty to count one of the indictment. In his plea agreement, Harrison admitted that he attempted to murder his common-law wife, also a member of the Navajo Nation, by slashing her throat on September 23, 2010. The remaining three counts of the indictment against Harrison were dismissed at the conclusion of the sentencing hearing.

United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that the case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety, Shiprock Division, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rozzoni.