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Shiprock Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Sexual Abuse Charge

A 63-year-old Shiprock man faces up to life in prison after pleading guilty in federal court to sexual abuse.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 20, 2026, 9:14 a.m. ET
According to official court records released on August 11, 2026, by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico, Jasper Lee Gray, 63, guilty in federal court to a sexual abuse charge. Gray is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation from Shiprock. The developing case remains open pending sentencing, where Gray faces up to life in prison. Court records state that in December 2023, Gray knowingly engaged in sexual acts with Jane Doe without her consent, including through coercion. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Albuquerque Field Office, announced the plea. The case was investigated by the Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI's Albuquerque Field Office, with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.

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  1. Version 120 Aug 2026, 13:14current

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