A Mescalero man has been charged in federal court with assault and child abuse following an alleged incident in February, according to a July 20 announcement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.
Court documents state that on February 25, 2026, Bradley Isaiah Davis, 36, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, allegedly assaulted a victim at his residence during an argument. Davis is accused of preventing the victim from leaving, striking them multiple times in the face with a closed fist, and strangling them. The victim was able to leave and later sought medical treatment.
Medical records indicated that the victim suffered a fractured nasal bone, head contusion, facial swelling, bruising, and nosebleeds. The investigation also revealed allegations of prior assaults and strangulation by Davis against the same victim dating back to 2023. Witnesses reportedly observed one of these assaults and intervened during the attack.
During a post-arrest interview with investigators, Davis allegedly admitted to striking the victim in the face during the February incident, as well as choking them during a separate assault in 2023. He is currently charged with assault causing serious bodily injury, assault by strangling or suffocating, and child abuse. He will remain in custody pending trial; no trial date has been set.
If convicted on all charges related to this case, Davis faces up to 13 years in prison. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement regarding these charges. The Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department; prosecution is being handled by the Las Cruces Branch Office of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for New Mexico.
Officials emphasized that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.