A grand jury has indicted five officers from the Costilla County Sheriff’s Office, including Sheriff Danny Sanchez, undersheriff Cruz Soto, and the sheriff’s son, Sgt. Caleb Sanchez, on multiple felony charges following an investigation into misconduct allegations. The charges stem from two main incidents: the mishandling of unidentified human remains found on private property, where remains were improperly stored and evidence was lost, and the excessive use of force against a man experiencing a mental health crisis. The sheriff and former deputy Keith Schultz face charges related to the improper handling of the remains, while Soto, Sgt. Sanchez, and Deputy Roland Riley are charged with assault and failure to intervene after using Tasers on the man without justification or proper investigation.
The District Attorney’s office emphasized its commitment to accountability and restoring public trust, noting that the investigation is ongoing and more charges could follow. The indictment highlights serious procedural failures, including the sheriff’s office not notifying the coroner promptly, not conducting use-of-force investigations, and failing to document the mental health incident properly. All five officers are scheduled to appear in court on April 1. The Costilla County Sheriff’s Office has not yet commented on the indictments.
