Ex-San Carlos Apache Officer Indicted, Accused of Beating Cuffed Man, Faking Report

A former San Carlos Apache Police Department officer has been indicted on federal charges after allegedly punching a handcuffed arrestee in the face, yanking him out of a patrol vehicle so hard he hit the concrete, and then altering a colleague's police report to cover it up. Jacob Christopher Slawson, 29, now faces up to 30 years in federal prison if convicted on both counts.

According to the indictment, the arrestee, identified only as N.G., had already been handcuffed and secured in the back of a police vehicle when Slawson punched him in the face, knocking him unconscious. Slawson then allegedly yanked N.G. out of the vehicle, causing him to hit the concrete and suffer a split head and other bodily injury, per an announcement from FBI Phoenix. Federal prosecutors, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix, announced the indictment on August 26.

Slawson is charged with one count of depriving N.G. of his constitutional rights under color of law and one count of falsifying a record with intent to obstruct a federal investigation. The excessive-force count alone carries a maximum 10-year sentence because it involves bodily injury, under 18 U.S.C. § 242 — a lesser one-year maximum applies to similar violations that don't result in injury, according to federal statute maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel.

How the Cover-Up Allegedly Unfolded

The obstruction charge stems from Slawson's alleged attempt to bury the excessive-force incident by tampering with paperwork. The station's report indicates Slawson allegedly altered and inserted false and misleading information into a fellow detective's police report in an effort to obstruct the excessive-force investigation. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1519, knowingly falsifying official records to obstruct a federal probe carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison, according to guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Combined, the two charges expose Slawson to as much as 30 years behind bars if he is convicted on both. The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI's Tucson Resident Agency and Phoenix Field Office, with prosecution handled by the District of Arizona and the DOJ Civil Rights Division, federal officials confirmed on August 26. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona serves as the primary felony prosecutor for nearly all 22 federally recognized tribes in the state, which is why crimes like this one on tribal land end up in federal court rather than local courts.

Department Says It Flagged the Misconduct Itself

Notably, it wasn't an outside watchdog that first caught the alleged misconduct. The San Carlos Apache Police Department says it identified internal anomalies on its own, then notified the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs and cooperated fully with federal agents throughout the investigation, per the same account from Fox 10 Phoenix. The department fired Slawson during his probationary period, though for unrelated policy violations rather than the alleged assault itself.

In the wake of the indictment, the department announced it has launched a comprehensive internal review of its operational policies, procedures, and community services, the outlet reported. That review comes against a backdrop of severe strain on tribal law enforcement resources: a 2020 congressional filing from the San Carlos Apache Police Department reported just 30 sworn officers were tasked with patrolling 1.8 million acres and serving 17,000 residents, averaging nearly 1,000 calls per officer each year.

Possible State Sanctions Could Follow

Beyond the federal criminal case, Slawson could also face consequences to his law enforcement career statewide. The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board retains authority to suspend or decertify officers when agency investigations turn up serious misconduct, under state administrative rules. It remains unclear whether AZPOST has taken any action against Slawson's certification.

The case adds to a string of recent scrutiny over policing and oversight on Arizona reservations and beyond. Hoodline previously reported on federal funding for tribal police upgrades aimed at addressing equipment and staffing shortages within the department, as well as ongoing public safety concerns on San Carlos Apache land tied to the search for a missing Indigenous teen following the murder of an Apache girl. Just over a week ago, Hoodline also reported on Phoenix officers placed on leave for allegedly hiding use of force and skipping body cameras during a traffic stop, part of a broader pattern of excessive-force reporting failures across Arizona law enforcement.