⏱ 2 min read
Brian Begay, a 31-year-old Shiprock man and enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually abusing a minor over a four-year period. The abuse began when the victim was just 12 years old and continued until she was 16, with Begay using grooming, threats of harm to the victim and her family, and force to carry out his crimes in Shiprock, New Mexico, between 2015 and 2019.
Begay pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact. His sentence will be served without parole, and upon his release, he will face 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The case was investigated by the Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Project Safe Childhood, launched in 2006, aims to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, and marshals federal, state, and local resources to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Sex Crimes
- Defendant: New Mexico
- Location: NM
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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