Lovell Cassius Benallie, a 27-year-old from Kirtland, New Mexico, has been sentenced to 166 months in prison following his conviction for assault with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence on the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation. This sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.
The incident occurred on August 24, 2023, when Benallie and an associate traveled from New Mexico to the Ute Mountain Ute Casino. After gambling, Benallie approached an elderly Navajo man at the nearby Ute Mountain Ute Travel Center. During the encounter, Benallie demanded money while pointing a 9mm gun at the man. When the man questioned him, Benallie shot him in the leg before fleeing. The victim was subsequently airlifted to Grand Junction for medical treatment due to serious injuries.
Benallie's criminal history includes several prior felony convictions, notably aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon in Farmington, New Mexico.
Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch stated: “The defendant acted callously and purposelessly. Gun violence will not be tolerated on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation and our office reaffirms our intention to vigorously violent crimes on our reservations.”
Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek added: "This defendant coldly and callously shot a total stranger during an attempted robbery. Any such act of violence on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation gets the full attention of FBI Denver."
The sentencing was delivered by United States District Court Judge Gordon P. Gallagher on December 16, 2024.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Durango office alongside the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey K. Graves led the prosecution.