A FAMILY IN TROUBLE

Three Generations Arrested For Dealing Meth

FARMINGTON -- Three generations of a Navajo family, including an
81-year-old great-grandmother, will make an initial appearance in
federal court today on charges of dealing methamphetamine, according
to Navajo Nation police.

[Name redacted], 81, daughter [Name redacted], 63, and granddaughter
[Name redacted], 39, were arrested Thursday at their Dilkon, Ariz.,
home, according to a release issued by the Office of the Navajo
Nation President.

[Name redacted]'s 1-year-old daughter was also in the home at the
time. Her 5-year-old son was reportedly at a Navajo Headstart program
when the arrest was made.

All three suspects were charged with one count of possession of a
controlled substance with intent to distribute and will make their
initial appearance in federal magistrate court today in Flagstaff,
according to Officer Walter Bighorse of the Navajo Nation Police,
Criminal Investigations.

Bighorse noted that officers took extra care in arresting [Name
redacted], who he said was the oldest suspected meth dealer his
department has arrested.

"That's very rare, this is actually the first one (in their 80s)
we've encountered," he said. "We took every precaution that was
necessary for her."

[Name redacted], who is reputed to be a "hand trembler," a Navajo
traditional diagnostician, was treated carefully during the arrest,
Wilbur said. He added she was handcuffed in a different manner than
is usually used, and pictures provided by the president's office show
[Name redacted]with her hands cuffed in front of her.

Methamphetamine and marijuana were found at [Name redacted]'s
residence during a recent search and the great-grandmother reportedly
acknowledged dealing for approximately a year, according to the release.

Police had been investigating the family for more than two and a half
years prior to the arrest, Wilbur said.

In the release, Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. expressed
concern at the news of the arrest of a Navajo elder for allegedly dealing meth.

"As Navajos, we look up to our elders for all of our teachings, and
it's wrong for her to be doing this," he said. "Our elders have
always given us good teachings so that we can maintain what we have
and what we're losing. Who knows how many families these people have harmed?"

Following their initial appearance in federal magistrate court, the
three suspects will have a preliminary hearing Friday in Flagstaff,
according to Wilbur.