A federal grand jury has indicted Shelton Atole, a 35-year-old resident of Dulce and an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, on a charge of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to an intimate or dating partner. The incident is alleged to have occurred on July 23, 2025.
Court documents state that the assault led to significant injuries for the victim. Atole is currently in custody as he awaits trial. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office announced the indictment.
The case was investigated by the Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting.
“An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
