A man from Shiprock has been charged in federal court with sexually assaulting a minor. According to court documents, Tyrel Westley Johnson, 31, is accused of engaging in a sexual act with a minor who is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation on the night of October 31, 2025, and into the early morning hours of November 1, 2025.
Johnson faces charges for engaging in a sexual act with an incapacitated person and for sexual abuse of a minor. He will remain in custody until his trial date is set. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.
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 charges.
The investigation was conducted by the Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office with support from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case.
“A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” according to officials.
The press release was issued on November 14 following the conclusion of the federal government shutdown.
