Crownpoint Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Assault Charges Arising From Ax Attack

ALBUQUERQUE – Edwin C. Johnson, 36, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Crownpoint, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to assault charges.  Under the terms of his plea agreement, Johnson will be sentenced to a prison term within the range of 108-120 months followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Johnson was arrested on Dec. 9, 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon.  According to the complaint, Johnson assaulted his girlfriend, a San Carlos Apache woman, with an ax on Dec. 7, 2015.  The victim suffered a gash about four centimeters long and bloody discharge from both ears; she also experienced cranial pressure and swelling.  Because the victim’s injuries were life threatening, she was flown by helicopter to the trauma hospital at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque.

Johnson was subsequently indicted on Dec. 17, 2015. Johnson is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, an ax, with intent to do bodily harm, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and attempt to commit murder.  The indictment alleged that Johnson committed the crime on Dec. 7, 2015, in Indian Country in McKinley County, N.M.

During today’s proceedings, Johnson pled guilty to all three charges.  Johnson remains in custody pending sentencing which has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Crownpoint office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Adams.

This case was brought as part of the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project in the District of New Mexico which is sponsored by the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women under a grant administered by the Pueblo of Laguna.  The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project seeks to train tribal prosecutors in federal law, procedure and investigative techniques to increase the likelihood that every viable violent offense against Native American women is prosecuted in either federal court or tribal court, or both.  The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project was largely driven by input gathered from annual tribal consultations on violence against women, and is another step in the Justice Department's on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities.