Navajo grandmother charged with drug dealing (Arizona)

by: Staff Reports / Indian Country Today

DILKON, Ariz. - Navajo Nation police officers executed a federal arrest warrant and took a Navajo grandmother, her daughter and granddaughter into custody for dealing methamphetamine in the small, remote Navajo community of Dilkon.

Navajo police arrested Effie Nezzie, 81, reputed to be a Navajo traditional diagnostician known as a hand trembler; her daughter, Marjorie Conley, 63; and her granddaughter, Frederica ''Bubba'' Conley, 39, at their home, according to a written statement from the Navajo president's office.

Also at home at the time of the arrests was the 1-year-old infant daughter of Frederica Conley, whose 5-year-old son was at his Navajo Head Start program.

Patrick Sandoval, chief of staff in the nation's Office of the President and Vice President, said these arrests will reflect badly on the Navajo Nation, but that the Navajo Division of Public Safety is serious about investigating and arresting anyone selling ''this poison to our children.''

''It knocks the wind out of people to realize this is occurring,'' Sandoval said. ''We look to grandmas for advice, teachings - not to come to them for dealing drugs.

''This is a very bad example, and this shows what meth can do.''

Sandoval added: ''As Navajo people, we look up to the elders for leadership, for guidance. They're patriarchs. The mere fact that this is not the first time she's been caught doing this and her disrespect for the law, her involvement in the distribution, and the kids that she's hurting shows she doesn't care about that.
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