A Mescalero man, Lance Marion Cojo, appeared in federal court following allegations that he assaulted and strangled a victim on October 23, 2025. According to court documents, Cojo, age 39 and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, is accused of assaulting Jane Doe.
Cojo faces charges of assault by strangling and/or suffocating. He will remain in custody until his detention hearing scheduled for February 9, 2026. If convicted, he could receive a sentence of up to ten years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison announced the charges. The Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Dickens is prosecuting the case.
Authorities emphasized that an indictment or criminal complaint is only an allegation and that all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
