Grand jury indicts five Costilla County law enforcement officers in Colorado misconduct investigation

First covered Friday, March 27, 2026Rights & JusticeWell-covered

The Facts

A grand jury indicted five Costilla County law enforcement officers in Colorado, including Sheriff Danny Sanchez, in a misconduct investigation.
The indictments involve two separate cases: one concerning the handling of human remains and another involving alleged assault against a county resident in a mental health crisis.
Sheriff Danny Sanchez and former Deputy Keith Schultz were indicted over allegations that they mishandled human remains discovered in the Wild Horse Mesa area in October 2024.
The district attorney's office said its investigation was prompted by reports of misconduct from Costilla County residents and is still ongoing.
Some reports say the remains were placed in a paper grocery bag or other bag and that some remains were left behind, while a coroner's official said the skull was received in an unlabeled package.
Undersheriff Cruz Soto and Sgt. Caleb Sanchez were also among the officers indicted in the separate use-of-force case.

Context

What are the main charges in the indictments?

The reporting says the charges include abuse of a corpse, official misconduct, second-degree assault, and failure to intervene, depending on the officer and the case Denver Post,FOX31 Denver KDVR,https://www.kktv.com,KREX5 FOX4 Westerns…,https://www.kkco11n….

What triggered the investigation?

The district attorney's office said it launched an extensive investigation after receiving reports of misconduct from Costilla County residents FOX31 Denver KDVR,Colorado Sun,KREX5 FOX4 Westerns….

Is the investigation finished?

No. Multiple reports say the district attorney's probe is ongoing and that authorities are still reviewing complaints FOX31 Denver KDVR,Colorado Sun,KREX5 FOX4 Westerns….

A grand jury indicted five Costilla County law enforcement officers in Colorado, including Sheriff Danny Sanchez, in a misconduct investigation.
The indictments involve two separate cases: one concerning the handling of human remains and another involving alleged assault against a county resident in a mental health crisis.
Sheriff Danny Sanchez and former Deputy Keith Schultz were indicted over allegations that they mishandled human remains discovered in the Wild Horse Mesa area in October 2024.
The district attorney's office said its investigation was prompted by reports of misconduct from Costilla County residents and is still ongoing.
Some reports say the remains were placed in a paper grocery bag or other bag and that some remains were left behind, while a coroner's official said the skull was received in an unlabeled package.
Undersheriff Cruz Soto and Sgt. Caleb Sanchez were also among the officers indicted in the separate use-of-force case.