Mentmore Man Sentenced to 37 Months for 2024 Strangling Assault

A federal judge sentenced Alery Al Reid, 27, of Mentmore to 37 months in prison for assaulting and strangling a woman on December 5, 2024, causing substantial bodily injury. Reid also faces three years of supervised release after completing his prison term.

Prosecutors said Reid pleaded guilty to the offense prior to sentencing. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Gallup Resident Agency with assistance from Navajo Police and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office handled the federal prosecution.

The sentence, imposed on January 21, 2026, underscores the role federal authorities can play in serious violent incidents that involve residents of McKinley County and the Navajo Nation. For local residents, the outcome signals that assaults resulting in substantial bodily injury can move beyond local courts to federal jurisdiction when investigative and prosecutorial partners determine federal charges are appropriate.

The involvement of the FBI’s Gallup Resident Agency alongside Navajo Police and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations highlights interagency coordination in investigations that cross jurisdictional lines. That coordination affects how cases are investigated, which prosecutors bring charges, and the range of penalties available at sentencing. For victims and witnesses in McKinley County, the federal case pathway can mean different investigative resources and longer statutory penalties than some state or tribal prosecutions.

Local public-safety officials have frequently said that cooperation among federal, tribal, and local agencies is crucial to addressing violent crime in and around Gallup and surrounding chapters. This prosecution provides a concrete example of that cooperation producing a federal sentence and a post-release supervision component aimed at limiting further harm.

Beyond punishment, sentences of this length raise questions for the community about prevention, victim services, and long-term safety planning. Residents and community leaders may want to press for sustained investments in victim support and violence-intervention programs so that prosecution is only one element of response.

As Reid begins his federal sentence and prepares for three years of supervised release, McKinley County law enforcement and tribal partners will continue to be central players in how similar cases are investigated and prosecuted. For readers, the case is a reminder of the layers of accountability that can apply when violent assaults cause significant injury and the importance of ongoing local and federal collaboration to keep neighborhoods safer.