Navajo Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Sexual Abuse Offense

ALBUQUERQUE—This morning in federal court in Albuquerque, Brianjun Begay, 23, pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor under a plea agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Begay will be sentenced to not less than 30 months nor more than 37 months of imprisonment. Begay also will be required to register as a sex offender after completing his prison sentence. Begay, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Pine Hill, New Mexico, was released under pretrial supervision after his arrest on June 6, 2011. After entering his guilty plea, Begay was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshal’s Service and will be detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that Begay pleaded guilty to an indictment that charged him with sexually violating a child between 12 and 16 years old in December 2005 on the Navajo Indian Reservation. In his plea agreement, Begay admitted that on December 30, 2005, he intentionally touched the genitalia and breasts of a female child who was older than 12 years old but had not yet turned 16 years old. Begay admitted using force when touching the child and that he engaged in this unlawful conduct to gratify his sexual desires.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shana B. Long.