Police Blotter: Tuba City man sentenced to prison for assault

WINDOW ROCK

Citing a history of continued violence, U.S. District Court Judge Paul Rosenblatt April 26 sentenced a Tuba City man to 37 months in federal prison on two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily harm.

Arlen Hatathlie, 35, was accused of assaulting the victim on two occasions, on March 26, 2013, and Nov. 18, 2015, both times resulting in serious injury to the victim.

In a sentencing memorandum, Elizabeth Strange, the acting U.S. Attorney for the state of Arizona, said she accepted the 37-month sentence, which also included three years of supervised probation after his release.

“The defendant’s continued violent behavior towards the victim is extremely concerning,” she said, pointing out that he had served a 180-month sentence after being convicted for a similar offense in 2015.

“The defendant’s crimes were extremely serious,” she added. “However, it is clear that both the defendant and the victim are in desperate need of substance abuse treatment.”

A 37-month sentence provides “just punishment, as well as adequate deterrence,” she said.

“Hopefully, this sentence will impose upon the defendant the seriousness of his actions and afford him the opportunity to receive treatment, both in and out of custody,” she said.

The state probation office recommended Hatathlie get an additional eight months but Strange said she did not think this was necessary.

“If the defendant fails to take advantage of these opportunities, as he did the last time (he was in jail), this court will have the opportunity to re-incarcerate him for an additional two years,” she said.

Jeddito woman pleads guilty

ALBUQUERQUE – Sabrina Morgan, 39, of Jeddito, Ariz., pleaded guilty April 26 in federal court to a larceny charge arising out of her theft of cash belonging to a commercial business located in Naschitti, New Mexico, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Morgan was charged in an indictment filed on March 14, 2017, with stealing more than $1,000 from the Red Mesa Trading Company, which is located on the Navajo Reservation in San Juan County. At the time of the offense, Morgan was employed as the district supervisor of the trading company.

During the proceedings, Morgan entered a guilty plea to the indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement. At sentencing, Morgan faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI.

Stranded female hiker rescued from cliffs

BITTER SPRINGS, Ariz. – Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue and Department of Public Safety Air Rescue helicopter rescued a lone stranded female hiker from cliffs east of Bitter Springs.

On Sunday, April 30, at approximately 4:30 p.m., the sheriff’s office received a request for a rescue. The hiker, an adult female from Page, had been hiking alone on a back-country route of Echo Peak when she went off trail and became stuck on a cliff.

The stranded female called in to the National Park Service requesting help. The area was outside of the national park, so the sheriff’s office was contacted.

Sheriff’s deputies from Page responded to the area. Sheriff’s Search and Rescue responded from Flagstaff.

The sheriff’ s office also requested assistance from Arizona DPS’s Air Rescue helicopter from Flagstaff.

The DPS helicopter and a search and rescue short haul technician successfully rescued the female from the cliff face shortly before dark. She did not require any medical attention and was transported back to her vehicle by sheriff’s deputies.

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