Crownpoint Man Sentenced to Fifty-Seven Months for Involuntary Manslaughter Conviction Arising Out of the Deaths of Three Indiviudals

ALBUQUERQUE – Brendan Harry, 21, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Crownpoint, N.M., was sentenced this afternoon to 57 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on involuntary manslaughter and assault charges.  Harry also was ordered to pay $2,052.13 in restitution to cover funeral and other expenses incurred by one victim’s family.

Harry was charged in an indictment with three counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury which arose out of a single motor vehicle crash that occurred at approximately 5:00 a.m. on March 31, 2012, near Borrego Pass, N.M., on the Navajo Indian Reservation.  Three individuals who were passengers were ejected when the vehicle rolled at high speed.  Each of the three victims died as a result of injuries they sustained during the crash.  A fourth passenger suffered serious bodily injuries.  All four victims were young adult and members of the Navajo Nation. 

On June 3, 2013, Harry pleaded guilty to all four counts of the indictment.  In entering his guilty plea, Harry admitted that he was driving while intoxicated and caused the death of three of his passengers and serious injury to a fourth passenger when he crashed the vehicle.

This case was investigated by the Crownpoint office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle T. Nayback.