Indio Police officer charged with intimidating crime witness with gun

JOSHUA TREE, Calif. — An Indio policeman with a troubled past accused of pulling a gun on a Bermuda Dunes woman to shut her up about a neighbor-on-neighbor dispute stemming from purported romantic liaisons and drugs was charged today with felony and misdemeanor counts.

Salvador Cardenas, 30, of Joshua Tree, was arrested following an investigation into a report of reports involving a firearm-related incident and alleged witness intimidation that came in April.

Cardenas is charged with witness intimidation and brandishing a firearm not in self-defense.

He's being held without bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning and was slated to make his initial court appearance Friday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

According to an arrest warrant declaration filed by Sheriff's Deputy Adonis Glasper, the conflict that culminated in the lawman's arrest originated with an encounter on April 16, 2026, involving a woman whose identity was not disclosed, residing at an apartment complex on Avenue 42 in Bermuda Dunes.

The declaration stated the victim got into a heated argument with her boyfriend, also not identified, after he took receipt of a "large brick of marijuana" that night. The man told her the drugs had been delivered by his neighbor in the unit across the corridor as a favor, the narrative said.

The woman became irate, accusing him of having an affair with the neighbor, which he denied, and to reinforce the point, he went to the neighboring apartment and requested the neighbor, whose identity wasn't released, to step out and confirm there was nothing between them.

The neighbor, whose husband is Cardenas and who was observing everything happening, verified there was nothing sexual between her and the man, according to Glasper.

Cardenas' wife turned hostile, cursing the victim for harboring suspicions, at which point a shouting fest erupted, the deputy wrote. The man tried to pull his girlfriend back into their apartment as Cardenas stepped out of residence shared by him and his spouse, and challenged the man to a fight, the narrative alleged.   

The man succeeded in quieting his girlfriend in their apartment. Cardenas, however, was dissatisfied with the outcome and while carrying a firearm in his waistband, returned to the door several times, banging on it and summoning the pair to come out, the affidavit alleged.

Sheriff's deputies were called by surrounding residents, and they contacted all of the involved parties for statements, Glasper said.   

"According to the victim, Salvador pulled out a gun on her and stated, 'You don't know who you're f----- - with!''' the declaration alleged. "The victim walked outside to meet the (deputies) that had been called. While outside, the victim was approached by Salvador, and he told her not to say anything about the gun or the marijuana."   

The woman admitted later that the encounters had a chilling effect, prompting her to stay silent when initially questioned about the circumstances, according to the narrative. However, she ultimately decided to open up after persistent questions from deputies about the domestic violence allegations she had initially leveled at her boyfriend, which she attributed to "bipolar disorder" and drunkenness.  

"During this investigation, I did a pretext phone call with the victim and Salvador,'' Glasper said. "Salvador confirmed he pulled a gun on the victim and again instructed the victim not to cooperate with the police, or she would get into trouble."  

The lawman's specific words to the woman at the end of the conversation were, "We have a deal, right? Remember, no victim, no crime,'' according to a bail-setting declaration filed by sheriff's investigators.

"Cardenas has demonstrated ongoing anger-management issues,'' that affidavit stated. "He was arrested for domestic violence in 2023 and was listed as a suspect in a child sexual assault investigation in 2024.''  

Not long after that call, an arrest warrant was obtained and served on the policeman for his alleged off duty actions involving the woman and her boyfriend.

It was unclear why, with prior reports of alleged criminal activity, the defendant was still working for the Indio Police Department.   

The Indio Police Department issued a statement on the arrest:

"The Indio Police Department holds all employees to high standards of professionalism and accountability. Officer Cardenas has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings and an internal administrative investigation.  As this remains an active investigation being conducted by an outside agency, the Indio Police Department will direct inquiries to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. We are cooperating fully with their investigation and will continue to monitor the matter as it progresses."

-Indio Police Department statement

The investigation remains active.

Anyone with information related to the case is encouraged to contact Investigator Adonis Glasper of the Thermal Sheriff’s Station at 760-863-8990. Information may also be provided through Riverside Sheriff’s Dispatch at 951-776-1099