Laberto Curley, Violent Knife Attack, New Mexico 2025

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A Pinedale man was sentenced to 37 months in prison for a violent knife attack.

Laberto Curley, 25, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for slashing a man's throat during a confrontation. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, on February 17, 2025, Laberto Curley used a knife to slash a man's throat during a physical altercation, resulting in serious bodily injury. Fortunately, others nearby were able to intervene, disarming Curley and tending to the victim's injuries while Curley fled the scene.

Upon his release from prison, Curley will be subject to three years of supervised release.

Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro prosecuted the case.

Laberto Curley was charged with one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Pinedale is a small community located in Cibola County, New Mexico. The crime occurred on February 17, 2025.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/pinedale-man-sentenced-violent-knife-attack