On Monday, Jerrison Begay, 33, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. In January, Begay’s co-defendant, Shelton Six, 28, of Sanders, Ariz., was sentenced to concurrent terms of 132 months and 78 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Six had previously pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter and one count of assault by strangling or suffocating, arising out of two separate cases.
In December 2015 Six became angry with the victim and began physically assaulting him. Begay participated in the assault. The victim, a member of the Navajo Nation, later died of blunt force injuries and suffocation and strangulation. Both Six and Begay are also members of the Navajo Nation.
In February 2016, Six assaulted a different victim, by threatening and strangling the victim with his hands, making it difficult to breathe. That victim is also a member of the Navajo Nation.