Navajo Man From Thoreau Sentenced to Thirty-Five Months in Federal Prison for Assault Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE – Eddie Jones, Jr., III, 23, was sentenced this afternoon to 35 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for his assault conviction.  Together with his brother and co-defendant, Aldo Jones, 31, Eddie Jones also was ordered to pay $47,574.91 to the Indian Health Services to cover the costs of medical care for the victim of his criminal conduct.

Eddie Jones and Aldo Jones, both enrolled members of the Navajo Nation who reside in Thoreau, N.M., were arrested in Aug. 2013, on a criminal complaint charging them with assault charges arising out of an attack on a 21-year-old Navajo man in Crownpoint, N.M., on July 28, 2013.  According to court filings, Aldo Jones and Eddie Jones assaulted the victim for failing to pay a $50 debt.  Aldo Jones repeatedly stabbed the victim in the head, upper back and right hand with a screwdriver, and both he and Eddie Jones pummeled the victim with their fists.  The victim sustained a life-threatening injury to his head where his skull was punctured.  He also sustained stab wounds to his upper back and right hand and a broken nose.

Aldo Jones and Eddie Jones subsequently were charged in a four-count indictment with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault with a dangerous weapon arising from the assault on the 21-year-old victim.  Aldo Jones also was charged with two assault charges arising out of an attack on a second victim on July 28, 2013, in Littlewater, N.M.

On Dec. 5, 2013, Eddie Jones entered a guilty plea to assaulting the first victim.  In his plea agreement, Eddie Jones admitted beating the victim who also was stabbed by Aldo Jones.

The day before (Dec. 4, 2013), Aldo Jones pled guilty to two assault charges and admitted assaulting two victims on July 28, 2013.  He admitted assaulting the first victim at approximately 5:00 p.m. by stabbing him with a screwdriver.  Aldo Jones also admitted stabbing the second victim with a knife approximately two hours later when the second victim confronted him about stabbing his cousin, the first victim.  Aldo Jones was sentenced on May 8, 2014, to 70 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.

The case was investigated by the Crownpoint office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul H. Spiers.