Former Dona Ana deputy charged with sexual assault

MESQUITE, New Mexico (KVIA) -- Former Dona Ana County Sheriff Deputy Joshua Benjamin Montelongo is charged with two counts of criminal sexual penetration and one count of false imprisonment.

Court documents state that on December 16, 2025, Montelongo allegedly sexually assaulted the victim. The victim told investigators that they had told Montelongo they did not want to have sexual intercourse with him.

Montelongo had known the victim for less than a month, according to court documents. The victim described feeling scared because of Montelongo's allegedly "aggressive" behavior, investigators said.

During the alleged assault, court documents accuse Montelongo of holding the victim's arms and ripping the victim's clothes off. Investigators later observed bruising to the victim's body, according to court documents.

Law enforcement officers arrested Montelongo the next day. He was booked into jail on a $15,000 bond.

A Dona Ana County spokesperson says that Montelongo has not been employed by the county since April 2025.