ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO – A Shiprock man was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for carrying out a series of violent assaults and a kidnapping that resulted in serious injuries to the victim.
According to court documents, on or about June 30, 2025, Darrin Begay, 34, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted the victim by punching, kicking, and strangling them, causing visible injuries to the victim’s face, neck, and arms.
Then, on July 2, 2025, Begay went 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 their residence. He reportedly assaulted the victim again before pushing them out of the vehicle and leaving them on the roadside.
Begay pleaded guilty to assault by strangulation and kidnapping. On July 28, 2026, he was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meg Tomlinson and Nicholas Marshall are prosecuting the case.
Begay is currently serving his 20-year sentence.
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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