2 Arizona men convicted of shooting Hopi police officer in 2021

Two men from the Hopi reservation were sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for shooting a Hopi police officer in 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

On June 21, Adelbert Johnson, 39, of Dilkon, was sentenced to 17 years in prison, and Mike Duffey III, 41, of Ganado, was sentenced to 14 years in prison, the Justice Department said in a news release.

Both men were convicted of two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and various firearm-related charges, the Justice Department said.

On February 3, 2021, Johnson and Duffey were driving a vehicle through the Hopi reservation located in northeastern Arizona.

Both men are members of the nearby Navajo Nation, according to the Justice Department.

According to the Department of Justice, Duffey was behind the wheel when he passed a stop sign and nearly collided with a Hopi law enforcement vehicle, evading police and sparking a short pursuit.

According to the Department of Justice, Johnson allegedly fired multiple shots from an AR-15-style rifle at pursuing officers and ignored commands to stop.

According to the DOJ, no police or residents were injured in the shooting, but police “narrowly avoided being hit.”

Both men pleaded guilty and were convicted of the charges in September 2023 after a five-day jury trial.

“This shooting was unjustified and endangered the lives of law enforcement officers who work every day to keep their communities safe. An attack like this has serious consequences, as evidenced by the sentences handed down to the defendants,” said Daniel Mayo, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona Gary Restaino said his intention to severely sentence Johnson and Duffey is to send a message about shootings at police.

“This verdict sends a message that when violence is directed against them, it will not be tolerated,” Restaino said.

Each man is also a convicted felon, which was added to the charge of possessing a firearm.

After their release, they face a three-year probation period.

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A Justice Department news release said the investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office and the Hopi Law Enforcement Service, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Navajo and tribal law enforcement officials.