Sheepsprings, N.M., Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Misdemeanor Assault Charge

ALBUQUERQUE – Jeremiah Ray Johnson, 39, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Sheepsprings, N.M., pleaded guilty this morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a misdemeanor assault charge.

Johnson was indicted on Aug. 12, 2014, and charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury.  The indictment alleged that Johnson assaulted the victim in San Juan County, N.M, on April 3, 2013.

During today’s proceedings, Johnson pled guilty to an information charging him with a misdemeanor assault charge.  Johnson admitted that on April 3, 2013, while at a residence in Sheepsprings, N.M., he punched and stabbed a Navajo man with a knife during a fight.  The victim required hospitalization as a result of his injuries.

At sentencing, Johnson faces a statutory maximum penalty of one year in federal prison and a maximum of five years of probation.  A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI and the Shiprock office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Wishard is prosecuting this case.