New Mexico authorities are seeking 24-year-old El Paso resident Danny Rivera under a nationwide arrest warrant in connection with an alleged sexual assault at Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino on June 7. Rivera is charged with second-degree criminal sexual penetration resulting in personal injury and distribution of flunitrazepam.
According to 2ndlifemediaalamogordo.town.news, the warrant was signed on August 12, according to New Mexico State Police. The resort is on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in south-central New Mexico, where the Mescalero Apache Tribe owns and operates the property.
The alleged victim told investigators she met Rivera at the resort bar on June 7 and had a couple of drinks before losing her memory of the night, according to KFOX. She later awoke in a hospital and said she could not recall what happened between the bar and the hospital.
Surveillance Footage Tracks the Victim's Movements
Investigators reviewed resort surveillance covering the woman's movements from about 9:30 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. The footage showed her and Rivera riding an elevator together; investigators said she appeared to have difficulty walking before they entered a room.
What official sources say about toxicology and related cases
The New Mexico Department of Health's Toxicology Bureau says it provides both drug-screening and drug-confirmation services. That information describes the bureau's role but does not establish which substance was confirmed in this case. In a separate case, New Mexico State Police said on June 9, 2023, that Isaiah Cheromiah was arrested after a woman reported an alleged sexual assault during a July 2022 National Guard deployment in Las Vegas, New Mexico; that case involved a different location and circumstances. For survivors seeking care in New Mexico, the article also references the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs.
Surveillance showed Rivera allegedly dragging the woman from the room and abandoning her in a hallway, according to the report.
A Maid, a Passerby, and a Frantic Phone Call
A maid found the woman after a passerby checked on her and alerted staff, the report states. Around the same time, her boyfriend called her phone, which was answered by a man, according to the boyfriend's account.
Hospital staff documented bruising on the woman's arms, legs and intimate areas. A urine sample tested positive for a benzodiazepine, which investigators described as a sedative.
Selfie Led Investigators to a Suspect
Investigators sought FBI assistance in identifying Rivera from a selfie the woman had taken with him that night, according to the report.
Rivera went to the El Paso Police Department for an interview on July 12 but declined to provide a statement and requested an attorney, the news outlet reports. New Mexico State Police say Rivera is wanted in connection with the case.
