Keams Canyon Man Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting Federal Officer

     PHOENIX – Today, Elan Nash, 30, of Keams Canyon, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 29 months’ imprisonment, in addition to 8 months’ imprisonment previously served on a related case in the Hopi Tribal Court.  Nash had previously pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

     On June 30, 2016, an officer with the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services (Hopi Agency) observed Nash to be intoxicated and, after speaking with him, attempted to place Nash under arrest for public intoxication.  Nash resisted arrest and assaulted the officer.  In doing so, he seriously injured the officer’s hand. Nash is a member of the Hopi tribe and the assault occurred within the Hopi Reservation.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-17-8002-PCT-SPL

RELEASE NUMBER:    2017-092_Nash

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