Two sentenced for branding swastika on Navajo Nation man

Thursday, January 26, 2012  

Two men who pleaded guilty for branding a swastika on the arm of a Navajo Nation man were sentenced to federal prison on Wednesday.

Paul Beebe, 28, was sentenced to eight and a half years. Jesse Sanford, 26, was sentenced to five years.

Beebe pleaded guilty for violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act in the first case to be prosecuted under the law. Sanford pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit a federal hate crime.

Beebe and Sanford admitted they kidnapped and branded Vincent Kee, a Navajo man with disabilities. The incident took place in March 2010 in Farmington, New Mexico, a border town.

A third man who took his case to trial was cleared of the most serious charges in state court.

Get the Story:
Swastika branders sentenced to prison (The Farmington Daily Times 1/26)

Two plead guilty to hate crimes for branding of Navajo Nation man (08/19)
Native Sun News: Plea deal reached for branding of Navajo man (08/18)
Navajo Nation mother relieved by plea deal for branding case (07/26)
Two men plead guilty in connection with branding of Navajo man (7/20)
Jury clears man of most counts in branding of Navajo victim (5/9)
Jury deliberates verdict over branding of Navajo Nation man (5/6)
Trial begins over branding of swastika on Navajo Nation man (5/5)
First man going on trial over branding of Navajo Nation man (5/4)
Native Sun News: Navajo man files lawsuit against McDonald's (2/21)
Navajo Nation man who was branded with swastika sues McDonald's (2/4)
Branding of Navajo man is first case under new hate crimes law (12/10)
Hate crime charges another scar in border town's shaky history (11/30)
Federal hate crimes charges for attack on disabled Navajo man (11/15)
Federal charges likely in case over branding of Navajo Nation man (7/20)
Letter: Navajo Nation commission clings to victim mentality (6/11)
Officers didn't believe man who was branded with swastika (6/3)
Officials condemn swastika branding incident in New Mexico (5/19)
Panel calls special meeting over swastika branding incident (5/18)
Police probe officer's response to swastika-branding incident (5/14)
Men in court over swastika-branding incident in New Mexico (5/11)
Men accused of branding swastika on Navajo Nation victim (5/10)