ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A 29-year-old Shiprock man has been sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for a violent knife attack that seriously injured his ex-girlfriend during a roadside confrontation last year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.
Tyrell Lee Johnson, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced for the November 2, 2024, assault that left the victim, identified as Jane Doe, with an abdominal stab wound, bruises, and abrasions. There is no parole in the federal prison system.
According to court records, Jane Doe and her sister were stopped at a road construction zone when Johnson approached their vehicle. He struck Jane Doe in the head, stabbed her in the abdomen, and then fled the scene, hitting her with his vehicle in the process.
Navajo Police later located Johnson’s car in Cudei, New Mexico, and identified it by a damaged front bumper. After a short pursuit, Johnson was arrested, and a black folding knife was recovered from his possession. Law enforcement confirmed he was not under the influence of alcohol at the time.
Following his prison sentence, Johnson will serve three years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Farmington Resident Agency with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco.
Johnson was sentenced for a violent assault that left the victim with lasting injuries and ended with a pursuit and federal arrest.