Navajo Woman from Standing Rock, N.M., Pleads Guilty to Federal Assault Charge

ALBUQUERQUE – Chelsey A. Billy, 21, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Standing Rock, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to an assault charge.  Under the terms of her plea agreement, Billy will be sentenced to 30 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Billy was arrested on Jan. 7, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging her with assaulting a Navajo man with a hammer on Dec. 22, 2015.  The victim was seriously injured and suffered a fracture to his left orbital eye socket and various lacerations to his head and face.

Billy subsequently was indicted on Jan. 26, 2016, and was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, a hammer, with intent to do bodily harm and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.  The indictment alleged that Billy committed the crimes on the Navajo Indian Reservation in McKinley County, N.M., on Dec. 22, 2015.

During today’s proceedings, Billy pled guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and admitted to striking the victim in the head with a hammer several times, causing serious bodily injury to the victim.  Billy remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.

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