ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico – In a shocking turn of events, Clay O’Brien Mann, a 29-year-old enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced to 171 months in federal prison for his conviction on involuntary manslaughter, assault, and firearms charges.
Mann, who resides in Shiprock, New Mexico, will also serve three years of supervised release after his prison term. He was ordered to pay $40,003 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.
The crime occurred on July 24, 2010, when Mann launched an artillery shell into his neighbor’s property, striking and killing a Navajo man, Ames Joseph Jim. Mann then fired a semi-automatic rifle at two other individuals, leaving them seriously injured.
The case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI and the Shiprock office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Presiliano A. Torrez prosecuted the case.
Mann was initially arrested in July 2010 on a criminal complaint alleging involuntary manslaughter, assault, and firearms charges. However, the trial was delayed due to competency proceedings.
The jury ultimately found Mann not guilty on the first-degree murder charge but guilty on the lesser included charge of involuntary manslaughter. He was also found guilty of two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of an act of violence.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of reckless behavior and the importance of gun safety. It is our hope that the victims and their families find some measure of closure with the sentencing of Clay O’Brien Mann.
Related Federal Cases
- Vernon Poleahla, Involuntary Manslaughter, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, New Mexico 2018 · Texas
- Rob Begay, Involuntary Manslaughter, New Mexico 2023 · New Mexico
- Tracey Beaver, Involuntary Manslaughter, New Mexico 2016 · Colorado
- Paul Raymond Garcia, Involuntary Manslaughter, New Mexico 2015 · New Mexico
- Darold Ray ZunieFeathers, Involuntary Manslaughter, New Mexico 2015 · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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