Preston Henry Tolth appeared before a federal judge in Phoenix. Tolth, who has been in custody since 2023, will not spend any additional time in prison if the court accepts the terms of the plea agreement reached with prosecutors. Prosecutors allege that Tolth assaulted Ella Mae Begay, stole her Ford F-150 pickup truck and drove it across state lines. He called the plea deal a “slap on the wrist” for Tolth and said mistakes made by law enforcement during interrogations cost his family a just outcome. Tolth initially entered a plea of not guilty to assault and carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury — charges that carry a maximum penalty of 10 and 25 years in prison, respectively.