Navajo Man Gets 10 Years for Child Sex Abuse

Verdell Yazzie, 31, of Tes Nez Iah, Arizona, will spend the next decade behind bars after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a 12-year-old child. The crimes occurred between 2011 and 2012 on the Navajo Indian Reservation, a location where Yazzie, an enrolled tribal member, exploited a position of trust to commit a horrific act.

U.S. District Judge Michael T. Liburdi handed down the 120-month sentence, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. This isn’t some slap on the wrist; the judge clearly recognized the lasting damage inflicted on the victim and the severity of Yazzie’s betrayal. The feds weren’t messing around, and neither was the court.

Yazzie admitted to engaging in a sexual act with the minor, a confession that brought a grim closure to the initial stages of the investigation. This wasn’t a case of he-said-she-said; Yazzie took responsibility, though that offers little solace to the victim or the community. The admission of guilt was a critical step, but doesn’t diminish the depravity of the act itself.

The investigation was a joint effort between the FBI and the Navajo Division of Public Safety. This collaboration is essential when crimes cross jurisdictional lines, particularly on tribal lands. It demonstrates a commitment to protecting vulnerable populations, even when navigating the complexities of sovereign nations. The Navajo DPS brought local expertise, while the FBI provided federal resources.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Chang and Sharon Sexton, from the District of Arizona, Phoenix, were the driving forces behind the prosecution. They meticulously built the case, presenting the evidence that led to Yazzie’s guilty plea and subsequent sentencing. These are the attorneys who get little public praise, but do the grueling work of holding predators accountable.

The case number is CR-20-08102-PCT-MTL, with release number 2023-013_Yazzie. While these numbers are bureaucratic, they represent a record of a terrible crime and a step, however small, toward protecting children on the Navajo Nation. This case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing need for vigilance and support for victims of sexual abuse.

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