A San Juan County man, facing federal gun charges, was in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque for a June 1 detention hearing.

Nathaniel Begay, 29, was indicted on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. The charges stem from an April 28, 2022, incident at Morgan Lake, 15 miles west of Farmington on the Navajo Nation.

The charges allege Begay used two handguns to shoot “multiple rounds at three adults and five juveniles with the intent to cause bodily harm,” according to the federal indictment.

The FBI Farmington Agency investigated the case with the assistance of the Farmington Police Department and Navajo Nation Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McGinley was assigned to prosecute the case.

If convicted, Begay could face up to life in prison.