Shane Lewis Vigil, Assault, New Mexico 2015

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - A brutal assault in Rio Arriba County has landed a 29-year-old Jicarilla Apache Nation member behind bars. Shane Lewis Vigil, of Dulce, N.M., pleaded guilty to assault charges in federal court, admitting to using an aluminum baseball bat to severely beat two victims, including his girlfriend.

According to court records, Vigil's girlfriend was hospitalized after being severely beaten with a baseball bat on July 20, 2015. Vigil was arrested on July 24, 2015, and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

During today's proceedings, Vigil pled guilty to a three-count felony information. With respect to Counts 1 and 2, which charged Vigil with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, Vigil admitted to assaulting a female victim with a baseball bat on July 20, 2015, in Rio Arriba County, causing the victim to suffer multiple serious injuries. With respect to Count 3, Vigil admitted to assaulting a male victim on Nov. 21, 2014, in Rio Arriba County, and causing him to suffer serious bodily injury.

Vigil will be sentenced within the range of 60 to 71 months in federal prison, followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. He will also be required to pay restitution to the victims of his crimes.

This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI and the Jicarilla Apache Tribal Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raquel Ruiz-Velez and Kyle T. Nayback are prosecuting the case.

The case is part of the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project in the District of New Mexico, which is sponsored by the Justice Department's Office on Violence Against Women under a grant administered by the Pueblo of Laguna. The project seeks to increase the likelihood that every viable violent offense against Native American women is prosecuted in either federal court or tribal court, or both.

Defendant: Shane Lewis Vigil

Criminal Charges: Assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury

City and State: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Date: July 20, 2015 (crime date), July 24, 2015 (arrest date)

Sentence: 60-71 months in federal prison, followed by supervised release

Restitution: Required to pay restitution to the victims of his crimes

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/jicarilla-apache-man-pleads-guilty-federal-assault-charges-0