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A Cheyenne man has been arrested after a sheriff’s deputy investigating a runaway juvenile found evidence that a teenager had been physically assaulted and allegedly threatened with a hammer, according to court papers. The case, originating from an April 11, 2025 call, raises fresh questions about child safety and repeat domestic-violence concerns in the community.
Authorities identified the suspect as Joseph Santiago Jacquez, born in 1990. He faces charges including aggravated assault (threat with a weapon) and assault and battery. Jacquez remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
What deputies say happened
A Laramie County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a Horse Creek Road residence the evening of April 11 after a teenage resident ran from the home and reported the incident. According to the affidavit of probable cause, the youth told the deputy his father, who the report describes as intoxicated, became angry after the teen took his meal into his bedroom.
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The juvenile told investigators his father shoved him into a countertop and followed him into the bedroom, where the boy was struck in the head and stomach. The affidavit describes the suspect pinning the teen to the floor, placing a hand on his shoulder and raising a hammer while threatening to kill him. Deputies say the hammer was used to strike a television, and that the alleged assailant began searching a drawer that contained knives before the teen fled the house.
The investigating deputy observed three reddish marks and minor swelling on the teen’s back, the affidavit notes.
Statements at the scene and past history
At the scene, a woman told deputies she believed Jacquez has an alcohol problem and that he loses control when intoxicated; she also alleged an earlier, previously unreported episode in which Jacquez pinned and choked her. Court documents indicate Jacquez has a prior conviction for domestic battery from July 2018.
- Date of incident: April 11, 2025
- Location: Horse Creek Road, Cheyenne
- Accused: Joseph Santiago Jacquez (born 1990)
- Alleged actions: shoving, punching, pinning, threat with a hammer, property damage
- Reported injuries: three red marks and slight swelling on the teen’s back
- Prior record: domestic battery conviction, July 2018
Jacquez denied striking anyone when questioned and reportedly showed his knuckles as supposed evidence. He also told deputies he intended to sign over his parental rights because he was “tired of fighting,” the affidavit states.
Prosecutors will review the report and determine whether formal charges proceed to trial. The case underscores how allegations of domestic violence and substance abuse can intersect with child-welfare concerns, and it will proceed through the court system where the accused will have the opportunity to contest the claims.
