Ramah man sentenced for federal assault and firearm charges after shooting into vehicle
ALBUQUERQUE / Thursday, March 5, 2026 – A Ramah man was sentenced to nine years in prison for shooting into a vehicle occupied by three people after a near-collision.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on March 18, 2025,John Doe swerved his vehicle to avoid colliding with a blue Jeep driven by Leon Garcia, 42, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. After the near-miss, John Doe followed Garcia to a residence on the Ramah Navajo Reservation in Cibola County. When the vehicles stopped, Garcia exited his Jeep armed with a rifle, pointed the firearm at the three occupants and fired multiple shots into the vehicle with intent to do bodily harm. Garcia continued shooting as the victims attempted to turn around and again as they drove away.
Garcia pleaded guilty to three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Upon his release from prison, Garcia will be subject to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah-Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico
