Mescalero Man, 40, Sentenced for Assault by Strangling Following Federal Plea

Lance Cojo, 40, of Mescalero, was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center on Jan. 29, 2026, under booking number 2600000733. Records indicate he was transferred from the Lincoln County Detention Center to face a felony charge categorized as all other offenses. No bond is currently listed for this booking. According to news reports and a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico, Cojo pleaded guilty in federal court to assaulting and strangling a victim. The conviction stems from an Oct. 23, 2025, incident involving the enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Court and news records indicate Cojo was convicted in this case following his formal guilty plea in federal court.