A Sells gang member, Warren Miles, age 26, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter by a federal jury on Sept. 5, 2018. A conviction for involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of eight years, a $250,000 fine, or both.
On the day before Thanksgiving, on Nov. 22, 2017, in the early morning hours, a truck full of street-gang members accosted the victim and four other individuals, all of whom were also members of the Tohono O’odham Nation, according to the evidence at trial. They were in a wash area alongside a dirt road when the truck stopped and its occupants jumped out, brandishing firearms and yelling derogatory gang-related comments toward the group. A 12-gauge shotgun was used to fire two gunshots at close range, striking the victim in the face, neck, and chest area, which caused her death. The truck, with Miles as an occupant, fled the area and was later found at a residence east of Sells. Eyewitnesses identified Miles as the assailant.
The incident occurred within the bounds of the Tohono O’odham Reservation.
The case was tried before U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins from Aug. 29, 2018 through Sept. 5, 2018. Miles, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, is being held after trial. Sentencing is set before Judge Collins on Nov. 28, 2018.