A Dulce man was sentenced on July 20 to 24 months in prison after admitting he repeatedly assaulted a woman, causing substantial injuries, while subject to a tribal court order prohibiting contact with the victim.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on July 23, 2025, Shelton Atole, age 35 and an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, physically attacked the victim by hitting her repeatedly in the face and head. The victim attempted to flee and Atole chased her. The victim was eventually able to get away and called a friend who picked her up.
At the time of the assault, Atole was under a tribal court order prohibiting him from contacting the victim following a separate incident of assault in June 2025.
Atole pleaded guilty to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to an intimate or dating partner. Upon his release from prison, Atole will be subject to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement. The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting.