Phoenix, Arizona - Monday, Marcurio Carlisle Tsosie, 34, of Chinle, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 18.5 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by lifetime supervised release with sex offender conditions.  Tsosie had previously pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact of a child.

In November of 2016, the nine year-old victim, a member of the Navajo Nation, reported Tsosie’s sexual abuse to the victim’s mother.  Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation promptly began an investigation, which led to Tsosie’s arrest and prosecution.  Tsosie is also a member of the Navajo Nation, and the abuse occurred within the Navajo Nation Reservation.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William G. Voit and Sharon K. Sexton, District of Arizona, Phoenix.