Church Rock Man Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Federal Assault Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE – James Eddy, 44, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Church Rock, N.M., was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for his federal assault conviction. 

Eddy was arrested on Jan. 7, 2014, on a criminal complaint alleging that he assaulted a 25-year-old Navajo man on the Navajo Indian Reservation in McKinley County, N.M., on Dec. 10, 2013.  Eddy subsequently was indicted and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. 

On May 1, 2014, Eddy entered a guilty plea to both counts of the indictment and admitted assaulting the victim with a knife with the intention of inflicting serious bodily injury.  Court filings reflect that, on Dec. 10, 2013, Eddy stabbed the victim in the chest with a 17-inch knife, causing the victim to sustain a life-threatening injury.   

The case was investigated by the Crownpoint office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Y. Ramirez.