Shiprock Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of Minor

ALBUQUERQUE - A Shiprock man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for abusing a minor over a four-year period.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, Brian Begay, 31, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, 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. In carrying out his abuse, Begay's conduct involved grooming, threats of harm to Jane Doe and her family, and the use of force against Jane Doe.

Begay pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact. 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 today.

The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of 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 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.