PHOENIX, Ariz. – Several violent offenders, all enrolled members of the Navajo Nation Tribe, were sentenced to prison in April for crimes they committed in and around Tuba City, Arizona.
On April 7, 2022, Joshua June, 40, of Tuba City, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 54 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. June attacked an elderly victim with a metal chair and broke numerous bones in her body. He pleaded guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.
On April 13, 2022, Deon Manson, 45, of Page, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 46 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Manson attacked the victim with a shovel, causing several broken bones and two amputated fingers. He pleaded guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.
On April 18, 2022, Lisa Benally, 42, of Tuba City, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 46 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Benally recruited another person to shoot the victim in retaliation for minor property damage. She pleaded guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (Aid and Abet).
On April 26, 2022, Zachary Smith, 27, of Shiprock, New Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 27 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Smith had repeated sexual contact with the minor victim. He pleaded guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor.
The Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and the FBI conducted the investigations in these cases. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecutions.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-8090-PCT-JJT (June)
CR-21-8037-PCT-SMB (Manson)
CR-21-8038-PCT-SPL-002 (Benally)
CR-20-8121-PCT-DLR (Smith)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-058_Tuba City
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.