A Gallup man has been charged in federal court for an alleged assault that took place in 2024, according to a June 2 announcement by federal authorities.
Court documents state that on November 9, 2024, Russell Lee Saunders, Sr., age 45 and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly assaulted and seriously injured John Doe. Saunders is facing a charge of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Authorities said Saunders will remain in third-party custody pending trial. A date for the trial has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, he faces up to ten 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 regarding the charges. The case was investigated by the Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Teleky is prosecuting the case.
Officials emphasized that an indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.