ALBUQUERQUE (AP) – A 45-year-old Navajo Nation man has pleaded guilty to a federal arson charge for setting a fire that destroyed his family’s home because he was angry at his wife.
Benjamin Joe Begay Jr. of Beclabito entered the plea in federal court in Albuquerque on Tuesday.
According to court filings, the residence was a total loss due to the July 31 fire, along with its contents and a truck. A charging complaint said Begay had been drinking before he set the fire.
Begay’s wife and three children were outside the residence when Begay set the fire.
Begay could be sentenced to up to life in prison.
