New Mexico Man Sentenced to Probation for Assault on Tribal Officer

ALBUQUERQUE – Bruce Piaso, a 37-year-old enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, has been sentenced to three years of probation for his conviction on a misdemeanor assault charge.

Piaso was arrested on June 3, 2016, for allegedly assaulting a federal officer, a tribal officer of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety who was federally commissioned by the BIA’s Office of Justice Services.

The attack occurred on May 28, 2016, on the Navajo Indian Reservation. According to court documents, Piaso punched and kicked the officer, and attempted to take control of the officer’s weapon while trying to avoid arrest.

Piaso was taken into tribal custody on May 28, 2016, and remained in custody until he was arrested on the federal charge. He was indicted on June 30, 2016, and faced charges of assault on a federal officer resulting in bodily injury, and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.

After a three-day trial, a federal jury found Piaso guilty of the lesser included offense of simple assault, a misdemeanor, on December 21, 2017. He was acquitted on the other charges in the indictment.

The case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Crownpoint office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall prosecuted the case.

Bruce Piaso, 37, of To’hajiilee, N.M., was sentenced to three years of probation for his conviction on a misdemeanor assault charge. The sentence was handed down in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M.

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