Man sentenced for stabbing assault on Mescalero Apache reservation

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- 21-year-old Lestat Cree Valdez will spend the next 46 months in federal prison for repeatedly stabbing a woman on the Mescalero Apache reservation.

Court documents state that Valdez, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache tribe, used a knife to repeatedly stab a woman's head, face, and chest. Federal prosecutors say Valdez straddled the woman as he stabbed her. The woman suffered serious injuries. The alleged attack happened on May 18, 2023.

After his release from prison Valdez will be expected to go through three years of supervised release.