A man from Shiprock, New Mexico, has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms offense after admitting to stealing and attempting to sell a loaded firearm.
Court documents state that on August 10, 2022, Crandall Craig Martin, 42, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, stole a loaded firearm with plans to trade it for alcohol or money to buy alcohol. Martin was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior felony and misdemeanor domestic violence convictions.
Martin entered a guilty plea for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He faces up to 15 years in prison at sentencing and will be subject to three years of supervised release following his imprisonment.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced the plea agreement.
The investigation was conducted by the Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with support from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Jones and Brittany DuChaussee are prosecuting the case.
"This press release was posted November 13, after the end of the federal government shutdown."
