Shiprock Man Charged with Assault

ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man is facing federal charges after allegedly assaulting a man during a dispute.

According to court records, on September 18, 2025, Brian Adam Archuleta, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly engaged in an argument with the victim that escalated into a physical assault. Archuleta struck the victim multiple times in the face, causing a right orbital wall fracture and requiring ten stitches.

Archuleta is charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Archuleta faces 10 years in prison.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Teleky is prosecuting the case.

A complaint or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.