ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico – A brutal attack on the Navajo Nation has led to the arrest of a 32-year-old woman, Tenille Quintawna Peshlakai, who faces charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and child abuse.
According to court records, on or about September 2, 2024, Peshlakai allegedly assaulted the victim with a motor vehicle, intending to cause bodily harm, while simultaneously endangering a minor who was improperly restrained in the front passenger seat.
The incident occurred on the Navajo Nation, and the case was investigated by the Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
Peshlakai will remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for January 31, 2025. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison.
The U.S. Attorney, Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tenille Quintawna Peshlakai, 32, is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. The exact criminal charges against her are assault with a dangerous weapon and child abuse.
The crime occurred on or about September 2, 2024, in New Mexico.
Peshlakai will face the possibility of up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Related Federal Cases
- Gilbert John, Jr., Kidnapping and Murder, New Mexico 2019 · Puerto Rico
- Randall Farnham, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury of a Child under 18 in Indian Country, New Mexico 2011 · Puerto Rico
- Mason Wilson, Child Abuse, New Mexico 2024 · Oklahoma
- Leandrew Cody Velarde, Abandonment and Abuse of a Child, New Mexico 2025 · Puerto Rico
- Miranda Cachini, Child Abuse Resulting in Death, New Mexico 2024 · Puerto Rico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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