United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico
02/04/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/04/2026 15:35
Mescalero man charged with assault
ALBUQUERQUE - A Mescalero man appeared in federal court after allegedly assaulting and strangling a victim.
According to court documents, on October 23, 2025, Lance Marion Cojo, 39, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, assaulted and strangled Jane Doe.
Cojo is charged with assault by strangling and/or suffocating and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which is scheduled for February 9, 2026. If convicted of the current charges, Cojo faces ten years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Dickens is prosecuting the case.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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