Former radio DJ, Mesilla mayor pro tem accused of touching girl inappropriately

A former radio DJ and Mesilla Mayor Pro Tem is accused of inappropriately touching a girl under the age of 13.

49-year-old Carlos Castaneda is facing charges of Kidnapping and Criminal Sexual Contact of a Minor in the third degree.

According to court documents, the victim said Castaneda would inappropriately touch her while she would spend the night at her friend’s house.

She said while she was sleeping, Castaneda would come in the bedroom and try to take off her pants.

She said Castaneda would inappropriately touch her, and she would try to push him away.

She told detectives she would feel annoyed and mad because he wouldn’t stop. She alleges the sexual assaults happened more than 10 times.

Castaneda is being held at the Dona Ana Detention Center on a $75,000 cash bond.

ABC-7 has confirmed Castaneda was on the Mesilla Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2004 and served as Mayor Pro Tem from 1998 to 2002.

Castaneda was also a commissioner on the Planning and Zoning Commission in the Town of Mesilla in between 1994 and 1996 and a former Homeland Security liaison to the U.S. Border Patrol under former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.

ABC-7 also confirmed Castaneda was a part-time DJ at 101 Gold in Las Cruces. He hosted the show “Cruzin in Cruces” for the past six months and resigned Saturday, according to a station vice president.