Mescalero Man Pleads Guilty to Assault

ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man, Lestat Cree Valdez, 21, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges arising from the stabbing of an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe.

According to court records, on May 18, 2023, Valdez assaulted Jane Doe, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache tribe by straddling her and stabbing her repeatedly in the head, face, and chest with a knife, causing Jane Doe to suffer serious bodily injury.

At sentencing, Valdez faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.  

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

This case was investigated by the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorneys Joni Autrey Stahl and Eliot Neal are prosecuting the case.

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