Supai Man Gets 5 Years for 2015 Reservation Robbery

PHOENIX — Taylor Nardo Paya, 20, launched a violent robbery on the Havasupai Indian Reservation in December 2015, slamming a victim in the front yard of her home before snatching her personal belongings. The attack left lasting scars in a tight-knit tribal community already strained by external law enforcement gaps.

Paya, a member of the Havasupai Tribe, pleaded guilty to the federal charge of robbery. Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes handed down a five-year prison sentence, followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence marks the end of a slow-moving case that exposed vulnerabilities in public safety across tribal lands.

Details of the assault reveal a brazen daylight attack. Paya targeted the woman outside her residence, using force to overpower her before fleeing with stolen property. No weapons were reported, but the physical confrontation left the victim shaken and retraumatized, according to court filings.

Federal authorities stepped in quickly. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs联合 conducted the investigation, navigating jurisdictional complexities common in Indian Country. Evidence gathered by both agencies led to Paya’s arrest and eventual guilty plea.

Prosecution was led by Christine Keller, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona, based in Phoenix. The case, filed as CR-16-8233-PCT-DLR, underscored the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s push to address violent crime in underserved tribal jurisdictions.

For now, Paya begins his five-year federal sentence with no early release guarantee. The Bureau of Prisons will determine his placement. RELEASE NUMBER 2016-101_Paya documents the DOJ’s formal announcement. More information is available at justice.gov/usao/az and via @USAO_AZ on Twitter.

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