Pinon Man Sentenced to 15 Years’ Prison for Illegal Firearms Possession

     PHOENIX – On June 17, 2019, Mardino Nathaniel George, 33, of Pinon, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 15 years’ imprisonment.  George had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of illegal weapons possession in violation of the National Firearms Act.

     George has a history of possessing illegal, homemade firearms on the Navajo Nation.  On August 5, 2017, he was present at the scene of a violent crime while in possession of a pipe-gun destructive device capable of firing shotgun shells.  On February 20, 2018, he was encountered by state and tribal law enforcement while in possession of another weapon, this time an altered rifle.  George is a member of the Navajo Nation, and the offenses occurred on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.

     Manufacturing or possessing these kinds of firearms is prohibited by federal law, and these crimes can carry very serious penalties.  George was sentenced to 10 years’ prison for possessing the pipe-gun destructive device and 5 years’ prison for possessing the altered rifle, with the sentences for the two crimes to be served consecutively.

     The investigation was conducted by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Voit, District of Arizona, Phoenix.