U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Guilty Plea in Shiprock Assault Case

ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has pleaded guilty in federal court to a single assault charge related to a brutal attack that left his victim with life-threatening injuries.

According to court documents, on January 1, 2024, Tyrell Jordan Benally, 25, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted Jane Doe at a residence in Shiprock, New Mexico, by repeatedly striking her with a closed fist and strangling her until she lost consciousness. The assault caused Jane Doe to suffer serious bodily injury, including life-threatening injuries from the strangulation.

At sentencing, Benally faces up to 10 years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.

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