Casamero Lake, N.M., Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting a Person During a Home Invasion

ALBUQUERQUE – Kirby Cleveland, 29, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Casamero Lake, N.M., pleaded guilty this morning to a federal assault charge.  Under the terms of his plea agreement, Cleveland will be sentenced to two-years in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Cleveland was arrested in July 2012, based on a criminal complaint and subsequently indicted and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and aggravated burglary.  According to the criminal complaint forcefully entered into a residence located on the Navajo Indian Reservation, armed with a baseball bat and assaulted a Navajo woman.

During this morning’s proceedings, Cleveland pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury and admitted assaulting the victim on May 14, 2012, at her family’s home.  According to his plea agreement, Cleveland went to the victim’s home looking for individuals who had threatened him earlier in the day.

Cleveland has been in federal custody since his arrest and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Crownpoint office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Wishard and Novaline D. Wilson.