Phoenix, Arizona - Last week, Dustin Tso, of Kaibeto, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to three years of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. The three years of imprisonment imposed will be served in addition to six months of imprisonment previously served in tribal custody.
Tso had previously pleaded guilty to assault of a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner resulting in substantial bodily injury.
On January 12, 2019, Tso attacked the victim, including by striking her and strangling her. The assault occurred on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, and both Tso and the victim are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation. Tso’s sentence in this case was enhanced because he committed this crime while in violation of a protection order issued by the Navajo Nation tribal courts.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.