PINE HILL, N.M. – A federal grand jury was convened in March; they filed an indictment against 39-year-old Leonard Yazzie of Pine Hill, New Mexico, for alleged sexual abuse on the Navajo Nation.
Yazzie was arraigned in court on April 5, he will remain in custody until a detention hearing can determine whether he should be free until the trial. Yazzie is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
According to the indictment, on March 27 and March 28, 2018, Yazzie allegedly committed a sexual act with a minor under the age of 12. The indictment alleges this sexual assault occurred on the Ramah Navajo Reservation.
If convicted, Yazzie will face a minimum of 30 years in prison with a maximum of life in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation handled the investigation of this case with assistance from Ramah Navajo Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea N. Van Deventer is prosecuting this case. An indictment is nearly an allegation, in the US justice system all people are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.