Hopi Man Indicted On Charges Of Aggravated Sexual Abuse Of Minors

PHOENIX – On July 22, 2014, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Ross Stetson Tewangoitewa, 67, of Shungopavi Village, Ariz., for aggravated sexual abuse of a minor.

A conviction for aggravated sexual abuse of a minor carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.

An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

CASE NUMBER:                   CR-14-8139-SPL (DKD)
RELEASE NUMBER:            2014-042_Tewangoitewa

For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
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