Dilkon Man Found Guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse

PHOENIX, AZ—Shonnie Shidale George, 21, of Dilkon, Arizona and a member of the Navajo Nation, was found guilty of four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor by a federal jury in Phoenix. The trial before U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow began on January 4, 2012, and continued through January 12, 2012. The defendant has been detained pending sentencing, which is set before Judge Snow on April 16, 2012.

The evidence at trial showed that the defendant sexually abused three children, one of whom was 4 years old at the time of the abuse and two of whom were 6 years old at the time of the abuse.

A conviction for aggravated sexual abuse of a minor carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment. The defendant could also receive up to a $250,000 fine. In determining an actual sentence, Judge Snow will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Criminal Investigators’ Office. The prosecution was handled by Cassie Woo and Sharon Sexton, Assistant United States Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.