Navajo Woman from Standing Rock, N.M., Sentenced to Prison for Federal Assault Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE – Chelsey A. Billy, 22, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Standing Rock, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 30 months in prison for her conviction on an assault charge.  Billy will be on supervised release for three years after completing her prison sentence.

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, suffering a fracture to his left orbital eye socket and various lacerations to his head and face.

Billy 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.

On July 18, 2016, Billy pled guilty to an assault resulting in serious bodily injury charge.  In entering the guilty plea, Billy admitted striking the victim in the head with a hammer several times, causing serious bodily injury to the victim. 

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.