Ryan Jacob Garcia, Assault, New Mexico 2023

Assault Charge Brought Against Isleta Pueblo Man

A 28-year-old Isleta man has been charged with assault after a physical altercation with a police officer on the Isleta Pueblo reservation.

Ryan Jacob Garcia, an enrolled member of the Isleta Pueblo, was arrested on December 23, 2022, after police responded to a report of a drunk driver. Garcia was found to be intoxicated and physically aggressive, and was detained by police officers.

As officers attempted to move Garcia towards a police truck, he bit an Isleta Police Department officer on the shoulder through the officer's long-sleeved shirt. The officer was able to continue working to detain Garcia, but had to seek medical attention for the injury.

Garcia has been charged with two counts of assault, including assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.

Garcia was arraigned on an indictment charging him with the assault counts on an unspecified date. He will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled. The Isleta Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is only an allegation, and Garcia is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The case is ongoing, and further information will be released as it becomes available.

Garcia's current status is on conditions of release pending trial, and he has not been sentenced to prison time yet. The exact date of the crime was December 23, 2022, and the charges were brought in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/isleta-pueblo-man-charged-two-counts-assault