A Vanderwagen resident, Perris Jeremiah Arthur, 36, has been sentenced to 85 months in federal prison for assaulting another individual with a firearm on the Navajo Nation. The sentencing was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office.
Court records show that on May 1, 2023, Arthur confronted a victim at the victim’s home. After initiating a physical altercation, Arthur retrieved a .22 caliber rifle from his ATV and fired two shots into the residence. He then pointed the weapon at the victim and threatened serious harm. The victim was not injured during the incident.
Arthur pleaded guilty to charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Upon completion of his prison term, he will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall prosecuted the case.
“Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.”
