Arizona man sentenced to 25 years for carjacking, kidnapping

PHOENIX — An Arizona man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for kidnapping and assault, authorities announced on Wednesday.

Jared Josh John, 32, will face five years of supervised release after serving his prison time, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

A U.S. district judge sentenced him on Sept. 11.

Why was Arizona man sentenced for kidnapping and assault?

The case John was sentenced for took place in July 2020. He and another assailant, 55-year-old Everickk Matthew Begay, attacked a man traveling through the Navajo Nation on a road trip, prosecutors said.

Both John and Begay are from Chinle, prosecutors said. Chinle is the third largest community on the Navajo Nation.

Before the attack, John and Begay broke into the victim’s car, where he had been resting for the night, prosecutors said.

John and the other assailant then drove the victim into the desert.

John then slit the victim’s throat three times and left him to die, prosecutors said.

The victim pretended to be dead until John and Begay left. Once they were gone, the victim used his clothes to create a makeshift tourniquet around his neck and left to find help.

What charges did Arizona man face after kidnapping and assault?

John was convicted of carjacking, kidnapping, robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to commit murder, assault with intent to commit a felony and assault that caused a serious bodily injury in May 2023.

His co-defendant, Begay, pleaded guilty to kidnapping, robbery and assault with intent to commit a felony on Mar. 20, 2023. Begay was sentenced to 97 months in prison in August of 2023.

After he serves his sentence, he will face five years of supervised release.