A man from To’hajiilee is facing charges for allegedly assaulting a federal detention officer at the Cibola County Correctional Facility. This incident occurred while he was awaiting trial on another federal case.
Court documents reveal that on November 5, 2024, Antonio Chaco, aged 41, allegedly attacked a detention officer who was assisting the U.S. Marshals Service with overseeing federal detainees. The officer, an employee of CoreCivic, Inc., was reportedly struck, pinned down, and choked by Chaco.
If found guilty of this assault charge, Chaco could face up to 20 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Chaco is also set to be tried for second-degree murder and kidnapping resulting in death on April 21, 2025. A conviction on these charges could result in a life sentence.
The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and David Barnett, U.S. Marshal for the District of New Mexico.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary C. Jones.