Suspect pleads guilty to robbery in case of missing Navajo grandmother
Agreement could limit prison time and bar future homicide charges in Ella Mae Begay case
On April 16 a man charged in the disappearance of Navajo grandmother Ella Mae Begay pleaded guilty to robbery as part of a second agreement with prosecutors, according to The Associated Press. Preston Henry Tolth, 26, could face up to five years in federal prison, with credit for three years already served, under the proposed agreement. During a hearing in Phoenix, U.S. District Judge Douglas Rayes asked Tolth if he was guilty. Tolth was quoted as responding, “Yes, your honor.”
According to The Associated Press, the agreement includes protections from future murder or manslaughter charges related to Begay’s 2021 disappearance. Prosecutors said Tolth admitted to using force to take Begay’s pickup truck and leaving her on the side of the road. Family members said they oppose the agreement and plan to ask the judge to reject it at a hearing scheduled in May.
- 1.The Associated Press, .
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