Farmington Woman Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Assault Charge

ALBUQUERQUE—Thelda Frank, 43, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Farmington, New Mexico, pleaded guilty this morning to an aggravated assault charge under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Frank was arrested in January 2013, based on an indictment charging her with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to the indictment, Frank assaulted a man with a knife on July 27, 2011, in a location within the Navajo Indian Reservation.

During this morning’s proceedings, Frank pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging her with aggravated assault. According to the plea agreement, Frank admitted stabbing a man in the abdomen with a knife on July 27, 2011.

At sentencing, Frank faces a maximum of 18 months in prison, followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

This case was investigated by the Farmington Office of the FBI and the Shiprock Office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob A. Wishard.