Navajo Man from Two Grey Hills Pleads Guilty to Federal Assault Charge

ALBUQUERQUE—This morning, Travis Cohoe, 43, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Two Grey Hills, New Mexico, pled guilty to a federal assault charge under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Cohoe will be sentenced to a prison term of a year and a day. Cohoe remains on conditions of release pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

Cohoe was indicted on June 7, 2011, and was charged with (1) assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and (2) assault with a dangerous weapon. According to the indictment, Cohoe used an automobile to assault a man on April 13, 2010.

This morning, Cohoe pled guilty to count one of the indictment, the assault resulting in serious bodily injury charge. In his plea agreement, Cohoe admitted that on April 13, 2010, he ran over a man with his vehicle. Cohoe stated that, while he was drinking with the victim at Bennett’s Peak, which is within the Navajo Indian Reservation, the two men began to argue and, during the course of the argument, Cohoe ran over the victim with his vehicle. The victim suffered a broken femur, a broken wrist, broken facial bones, and various abrasions as a result of the assault.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, count two of the indictment will be dismissed after Cohoe is sentenced.

The case was investigated by the Farmington Office of the FBI and the Shiprock Division of the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack E. Burkhead.

China Springs Man to Serve Seven Years in Prison for Federal Involuntary Manslaughter Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE—This afternoon, a federal judge sentenced Julian Bahe, 20, a member of the Navajo Nation who resides in China Springs, New Mexico, to seven years in prison for his involuntary manslaughter conviction. Bahe will be on supervised release for three years after he completes his prison sentence.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that Bahe killed Billy Boyd, a 59-year-old Navajo man, on November 20, 2010, when he set fire to a van parked outside his grandmother’s residence in China Springs in the Navajo Indian Reservation.

On May 11, 2012, Bahe entered a guilty plea to a criminal information charging him with involuntary manslaughter. In his plea agreement, Bahe admitted that on the night of November 20, 2010, he intentionally set fire to a van parked outside his grandmother’s home because he was angry with his grandmother. According to the plea agreement, earlier that day, Bahe had an argument with his grandmother while his grandmother, Billy Boyd, and Bahe were in the van, socializing and drinking alcohol. Bahe returned later that night with a gas can, poured gas into the van’s window, and ignited the gas. At the time, Bahe assumed that the van was empty because he did not see any lights in the van and did not hear anyone. He later learned that Billy Boyd was asleep in the van and died in the fire.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Crownpoint Division of the Navajo Department of Public Safety and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark T. Baker.

Shiprock Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Assault Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE—Yesterday in Albuquerque federal court, Wayne Tahe, 58, a member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Shiprock, New Mexico, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for his assault conviction. Tahe will be on supervised release for two years after he completes his prison sentence. He also was ordered to pay $3,787.60 in restitution to cover the victim’s medical costs.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that Tahe was arrested on assault charges on December 8, 2011, after he stabbed his wife in their Shiprock home in the Navajo Indian Reservation on December 4, 2011. Tahe has been in federal custody since that time.

On April 5, 2012, Tahe pled guilty to an indictment charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury. In his plea agreement, Tahe admitted stabbing his wife with a kitchen knife on December 4, 2011.

Court filings reflect that Tahe stabbed his wife in the chest and also cut her right arm during an argument. The victim suffered a stab wound to her chest between her lungs and stomach. The victim also suffered a slash wound to her upper right arm, a stab wound to her lower right arm, and a cut on her right arm. She also had multiple bruises on her back, chest, and lower extremities. According to a medical provider, the victim was at a substantial risk of death because she lost a great deal of blood as a result of the attack.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Shiprock Division of the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle T. Nayback.

Yah-ta-hey Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Arson Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE—This morning in federal court in Albuquerque, Waylon Murphy, 23, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Yah-ta-hey, New Mexico, was sentenced to a two-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his arson conviction. Murphy also was ordered to pay $62,375 in restitution to the victim.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that Murphy was charged with torching a neighbor’s house on September 4, 2011, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in McKinley County, New Mexico. Murphy was indicted on an arson charge on November 11, 2011, and entered a guilty plea to the indictment on May 10, 2012.

In his plea agreement, Murphy admitted that he maliciously set fire to his neighbor’s home on September 4, 2011. Murphy, who was intoxicated, entered his neighbor’s home with the intention of stealing alcohol. Murphy also admitted that, after finding no alcohol in his neighbor’s home, he stole various items of the neighbor’s personal property and set her home on fire.

Murphy was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his prison sentence at the conclusion of his sentencing hearing.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Crownpoint Division of the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack E. Burkhead.

Shiprock Canal Body Identified

The body of a woman found in an irrigation canal in Shiprock on July 22, 2012, has been identified as Brenda Karen Nez, 47, of Shiprock. The FBI and Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety are investigating the death. The death is considered suspicious, but no other information about a cause is being released at this time. Nez had been dead at least 24 hours when her body was discovered. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the FBI in Albuquerque at 505-889-1300 (24 hours) or fill out an electronic reporting form at https://tips.fbi.gov.

Former New Mexico Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violations Of Inmate

WASHINGTON—Sylvester Bruce, 44, a former corrections officer with Navajo Nation’s Shiprock Detention Center (SDC) in Shiprock, New Mexico, pleaded guilty today in federal court on charges related to the sexual abuse of an inmate during the summer and fall of 2010. Specifically, Bruce pleaded guilty to one count of violating the civil rights of the victim when he touched her breasts against her will. Bruce also pleaded guilty to making material false statements to the FBI when he denied taking pictures of inmates inside the cells of the SDC.

According to court documents, while the victim was incarcerated at SDC, Bruce repeatedly placed his hands under the victim’s shirt and bra and grabbed her breasts, knowing that she did not consent to his actions. Bruce did so in areas of the jail that did not have surveillance cameras. Bruce further admitted that he lied to the FBI when he denied taking pictures of inmates in their cells, acknowledging that he had, in fact, photographed two female inmates asleep on a bed in their cell.

“Sexual assaults by corrections officers on those they are charged with keeping safe undermine the very foundation of our judicial system,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute these crimes and work to vindicate the rights of the courageous victims who report them.”

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Bruce will be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 12 months and a day. Bruce will also not be able to serve in a law enforcement capacity again and will submit to federal and state sex offender registration requirements.

“Our system of justice is clear and unequivocal—every law enforcement officer must follow the laws they are sworn to enforce. While the vast majority of officers perform their duties to protect the public with professionalism and integrity often under very dangerous conditions, there are an unscrupulous few who do not,” said Kenneth J. Gonzales, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico. “Every person in lock-up, regardless of the charge or crime of conviction, is entitled to be safe and certainly should never be victimized by those responsible for guarding them. I commend the victim in this case for having the courage to step forward and assert her right to be free of sexual abuse and for trusting the Department of Justice to protect her.”

“The FBI, as the lead agency for enforcing federal civil rights laws, will continue to vigorously investigate and bring to justice corrections officers who betray the great trust placed in them when they abuse the individuals in their custody,” said Carol K.O. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque Division of the FBI. “I am proud of the fine work done by the FBI special agents in this case and would like to express my gratitude for the assistance of the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations.”

This case was investigated by the Farmington Resident Agency of the Albuquerque Division of the FBI and the Shiprock Division of the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Baker for the District of New Mexico and Fara Gold of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.