Mescalero Man Pleads Guilty to Strangling Partner

Julius Scott Mendez, 30, of Mescalero, New Mexico, admitted in federal court to beating and strangling his intimate partner until she lost consciousness, leaving her battered and broken across the Mescalero Apache Reservation. The attack, prosecuted as a federal crime due to its location in Indian Country, has landed Mendez behind bars as he awaits sentencing.

Mendez, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, pleaded guilty to two counts: assault of a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner resulting in substantial bodily injury, and assault by strangulation. The charges stem from an incident in which he repeatedly kicked and punched the victim—a fellow tribal member—before choking her into unconsciousness.

According to the plea agreement, the assault left the woman with severe bruising over most of her body and significant injuries to her head, face, and neck. The damage was so extensive it qualified as substantial bodily injury under federal law, elevating the severity of the charges and potential punishment.

Because the crime occurred on tribal land, federal jurisdiction was triggered under the Major Crimes Act. The Bureau of Indian Affairs launched the investigation, working closely with federal prosecutors to build the case. Mendez has remained in custody since his arrest and will stay locked up until sentencing, which is pending.

At sentencing, Mendez faces up to ten years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, whose office prosecuted the case, emphasized that violent crimes against intimate partners will be met with maximum enforcement, especially in tribal communities where resources are often strained.

Assistant United States Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and Eliot Neal are handling the prosecution. The case, numbered 23-19, underscores the federal government’s ongoing push to combat domestic violence in Indian Country, where rates of assault against Indigenous women remain disproportionately high.