Darrin Begay Charged

A brutal series of violent assaults and a kidnapping have landed a Shiprock man in federal court, facing charges that could put him behind bars for life. Darrin Begay, 33, allegedly carried out the attacks on June 30, 2025, and July 2, 2025, leaving his victim with serious injuries.

According to court documents, Begay’s rampage began on June 30, 2025, when he allegedly assaulted the victim at a residence within the exterior boundaries of Navajo Nation in New Mexico. The assault included punching, kicking, and strangulation, resulting in visible injuries to the victim’s face, neck, and arms.

The violence didn’t stop there. On July 2, 2025, Begay allegedly returned to the victim’s home, threatened to harm the victim’s family members, and forced the victim into a vehicle. Begay then drove the victim away from her residence, assaulting her again before pushing her out of the vehicle and leaving her on the roadside.

Begay is charged with assault on an intimate partner by strangling, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, assault with a dangerous weapon, and kidnapping. If convicted of the current charges, Begay faces up to life in prison. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.

The investigation into Begay’s alleged crimes was carried out by the Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced the charges against Begay.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. As the case against Begay moves forward, the people of New Mexico will be watching to see justice served for the victim and her family.

The charges against Begay are a sobering reminder of the violent crime that plagues our communities. The fact that Begay allegedly felt emboldened to carry out such heinous acts, not once but twice, is a chilling indictment of the failures of our system to protect victims of domestic violence. As we wait for the outcome of this case, we must also confront the deeper issues that allow such violence to occur in the first place.