Navajo Man Convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse

PHOENIX—Wilson Tsosie, 47, of Pinon, Arizona, was found guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse by a federal jury in Prescott on July 13, 2012. The case was tried before U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow on July 10-13, 2012. The defendant remains in custody after trial. Sentencing is set before Judge Snow on October 15, 2012.

“The safety and security of the Native American community within the District of Arizona is of paramount importance to the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo. “I would like to thank the Navajo Division of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for all of their hard work in this investigation.”

The evidence at trial showed that on April 16, 2011, in a remote area outside of Pinon, Arizona, Tsosie sexually assaulted a Native American woman twice in front of her home.

A conviction for aggravated sexual abuse carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. In determining an actual sentence, Judge Snow will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Navajo Division of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Resident Agency in Gallup, New Mexico. The prosecution was handled by Dyanne C. Greer, Melissa Karlen, and Brian E. Kasprzyk, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.