A Shiprock man was sentenced on July 31 to 25 years in prison for abusing a minor over a four-year period. Brian Begay, 31, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact.
According to court documents, Begay engaged in a pattern of sexual abuse against Jane Doe between 2015 and 2019, beginning when the victim was 12 and continuing until she was 16. The conduct involved grooming, threats of harm to Jane Doe and her family, and the use of force against Jane Doe.
There is no parole in the federal system. Upon his release from prison, Begay will be subject to ten years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI 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 Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 that focuses on combating child sexual exploitation and abuse.