U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Mescalero Man with Assault

ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man has been charged by criminal complaint with assault resulting in serious bodily injury after allegedly attacking a friend with a beer bottle, leaving the victim with severe facial injuries.

According to the criminal complaint, on January 5, 2024, Lewis Michael Bigmouth, 27, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, allegedly assaulted another enrolled tribal member on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, striking the victim multiple times in the face with a beer bottle. The victim suffered severe injuries, including a partial amputation of his nose requiring multiple reconstructive surgeries.

Bigmouth appeared before a federal judge and will remain in custody pending trial, which is has not been set.

If convicted, Bigmouth faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Joni Autrey Stahl and Kirk Williams are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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