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Archive for the ‘NEW MEXICO’ Category
Aztec New Mexico Judge Barbara Aldza-Mills Charged With Aiding A Criminal
June 26th, 2008
FARMINGTON, NEW MEXICO — Aztec Municipal Judge Barbara Aldaz-Mills was charged with a misdemeanor crime in magistrate court Wednesday for allegedly alerting a defendant that a bail officer was en route to arrest him.
Aldaz-Mills was charged with misdemeanor encouraging violation of bail, punishable by up to one year in jail, the District Attorney’s Office said.
The allegation against Aldaz-Mills was brought by a bond enforcement agent who had gone to arrest 51-year-old Thomas Vigil in Durango on May 6 after Bad Boyz Bail Bonds requested the man’s $1,800 bond be revoked.
The judge left a telephone message for Vigil after the bondsman left the Aztec court stating: “I have an emergency message for you … I’m trying to help you out of a situation.”
The judge identified herself by her first name, warned officers were coming to arrest him and said to return to court the following day to resolve the situation, said Eva Vigil, Thomas’ wife.
Read MoreCharges Against Former Albuquerque New Mexico Chief Judge John Brennan Suddenly Reduced After Attack On His Girlfriend
June 20th, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - The former chief judge of Albuquerque’s state district court has had charges against him in connection with a domestic altercation earlier this year reduced, according to a published report.
Still, according to the Albuquerque Journal, if convicted of the new reduced charges, John Brennan could be labeled as an habitual offender.
Brennan was charged with kidnapping and aggravated battery in March after a neighbor reported hearing screams coming from his UNM area home.
A police officer responding to the scene reportedly saw Brennan choking a woman who later was identified as his 25-year-old girlfriend.
Friday’s Journal reports that the initial charges have been reduced to false imprisonment and misdemeanor battery on a family member.
The paper reports that Brennan’s attorney, Bob Gorence, cites the reduced charges as a sign that the original arrest was faulty.Read More
9/11 Hysteria And Illegally Parked Car Pushes FBI Agents And Police Over The Edge - Much Of Downtown Albuquerque New Mexico Closed For Hours As they Piss Away Taxpayer Dollars Over Nothing
June 12th, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - An out-of-state station wagon parked illegally in front of a federal building downtown resulted in much of the center of the city being closed for hours Thursday morning.
Police cordoned off the vehicle and closed from Third to Seventh streets and Central to Gold avenues after discovering the car illegally parked directly in front of the old federal courthouse at Fifth and Gold. People working inside the courthouse were evacuated
Bomb squad members using a robotic device swept the car, breaking in a window of the car that they say had been parked at the site since 1:00 am.
FBI agents tracing the license plate were able to reach the mother of the car’s owner, who in turn notified him of the commotion his parking job had caused.
Read MoreCaught On Video: Albuquerque New Mexico Police Officers Attack Photographer
May 30th, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - An Eyewitness News 4 photographer was cuffed and cited Thursday morning for disobeying a police officer. It was a situation where the photographer was trying to do his job. And now the Albuquerque Police Department is reviewing the tape to see if the officer crossed the line.
APD says a driver and officers had exchanged gunfire at Copper Avenue and Rhode Island Street NE. An Eyewitness News 4 photographer covering the incident approached two police cars at Copper and Grove NE, believing the suspect was already in custody. The photographer was told that he had to go to a media staging area, but he claims the officer wouldn’t tell him where that was, so he just moved back.
The two officers briefly talked, and then one of them told the photographer where to go.
Read MoreAlbuquerque New Mexico Police Officer Levi Chavez Under Investigation After Wife Is Shot And Killed
May 2nd, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - An Albuquerque Police Department officer is being called “a person of interest” in the investigation into the death of his wife.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that Valencia County authorities have ruled out suicide in the death of Tera Chavez and are investigating it as a homicide.
Officer Levi Chavez reported the shooting death last October, saying that she had killed herself in her Los Lunas home.
Investigators tell the Journal that insurance may have been a factor and that both Officer Chavez and his wife had been involved in extramarital affairs with other APD officers when she was killed. Appeared Here
Former Santa Fe New Mexico Police Officer Danny Ramirez Pleads Guilty After Stealing From Drug Bust For A Slap On The Wrist
April 18th, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - A judge sentenced a former Santa Fe police officer in federal court Thursday.
In exchange for pleading guilty to theft after being accused of stealing money from a drug bust, Danny Ramirez was sentenced to three years probation. But Ramirez still insists he is not guilty.
“I did not take any money,” Ramirez said.
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He said that he just redirected contraband cash for a suspect’s grandparents.
“The person asked me to leave $5,000 or leave some money for his grandparents because he was their only form of income,” said Ramirez.
The judge also ordered Ramirez to pay a $1,000 fine.
Appeared Here
Veteran Albuquerque New Mexico Police Officer Sgt. Andrew Gallegos Suspended, Suspected Of Having Run Over And Killed Woman At Bar
April 16th, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - As an Albuquerque traffic officer is a person of interest in a fatal hit-and-run, investigators with another part of the department have taken over the case.
Police are investigating if a 19-year veteran of the Albuquerque Police Department may have run over and killed a 47-year-old woman at an Albuquerque bar on Sunday.
The officer, Sgt. Andrew Gallegos, has been placed on paid administrative leave.
Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz said Gallegos has not been arrested or charged with a crime.
Investigators have served a search warrant and taken Gallegos’ truck.
Schultz said that because Gallegos is a traffic officer, the investigation has been handed over to APD violent crimes investigators, with oversight from the district attorney and state police.
He asked local media to stop running surveillance video of the incident so investigators can speak with witnesses without media coverage tainting their memories.
Read MoreVeteran Albuquerque New Mexico Police Officer Sgt. Andrew Gallegos Suspect In Fatal Hit And Run Accident While Leaving Bar, Running Over 47 Year Old Woman
April 9th, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, NM - A sergeant in the traffic unit of the Albuquerque Police Department is a suspect in a hit-and-run accident over the weekend that killed a 47-year-old woman.
APD Chief Ray Schultz said during a midday news conference that investigators are questioning Sergeant Andrew Gallegos, a 19-year-veteran of the department.
The incident happened Sunday evening in the parking lot of an East Central Avenue bar.
Surveillance video of the bar shows a man exiting, getting into an older model pickup, and then backing over a woman who appears to have been lying next to, or perhaps under, his truck.
Vera Haskell died at University of New Mexico Hospital from the injuries she sustained.
Schultz said Tuesday that one of the people viewing the surveillance tape thought that the man resembled Sgt. Gallegos. When investigators checked, they discovered that Gallegos has a truck similar to the one caught on tape.
Read MoreMilitary Veteran Charged By Albuquerque New Mexico Police With Tearing Down La Raza Hate Group’s Mexican Flag Flying Over UNM Campus In Place Of U.S. Flag Goes On Trial - Our Tax Dollars At Work
April 2nd, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - Is a UNM student a patriot or vandal? That is the question in front of an Albuquerque jury.
Peter Lynch, a military veteran, is at the center of the controversy.
Prosecutors opened up the trial Monday saying Lynch should be found guilty of the misdemeanor charge of criminal damage to property.
Lynch ripped down a Mexican flag last fall on the UNM campus.
That flag belonged to El Centro De La Raza, a university group that has accused Lynch of a hate crime, and of being racist.
Lynch’s attorney said the Mexican flag flew by itself for several days without the American flag on campus. He went on to say that Lynch got the run around when he demanded it be taken down.
After the flag was ripped, Lynch took it to an air force ROTC building.
Read MoreOtero County New Mexico Deputy Sheriff Sgt. Sean Jett Suspended After Shooting And Killing Unarmed Man - Cops First Say It Was A Gunfight, Then Man Was Unarmed, But Now That Man Had A Box Cutter In His Pocket - Can’t Get Their Story Straight
April 1st, 2008
CLOUDCROFT, NM - State police confirmed Thursday that a man fatally shot by an Otero County sheriff’s deputy was fugitive Kurt Sohrbeck.
State police initially said Sohrbeck, who was wanted in the wounding of a Lincoln County sheriff’s deputy, was unarmed Wednesday when he was shot by Sgt. Sean Jett. On Thursday, Peter Olson, spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety, said a folding box cutter was found in Sohrbeck’s pocket.
“So far indications are this is the pocket that he refused to take his hands out of,” Olson said.
Sohrbeck had failed to obey direct orders from Jett, who characterized Sohrbeck’s behavior was aggressive and threatening, state police said.
State police originally said there had been an exchange of gunfire between Sohrbeck and Jett.
Jett has been placed on paid leave pending the completion of the state police investigation, said Otero County Sheriff John Blansett.
Read MoreVeteran San Juan County Deputy Sheriff Steven D. Saiz Arrested, To Be Fired, Charged After Driveby Shooting In Front Of His Estranged Wife’s Home
March 19th, 2008
BLOOMFIELD, NEW MEXICO — A San Juan County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested Sunday for firing shots outside his wife’s Bloomfield residence.
Deputy Steven D. Saiz, 50, was charged with shooting from a moving vehicle, a fourth-degree felony. If convicted, he faces up to a year and a half in prison.
Sheriff Bob Melton said the investigation of Bloomfield Police was sufficient evidence of Saiz’s involvement, and the 15-year veteran deputy will be fired.
“He will be terminated in short order,” Melton said. “I think if you’re going to violate the law in a blatant and egregious manner, then you’re certainly in the wrong profession and you need to look at doing something else.”
Bloomfield Police were alerted to the incident after hearing shots fired. While responding to the scene, officers pulled Saiz over as he left the vicinity, but recognized him as a sheriff’s deputy and allowed him to leave.
Read MoreVeteran Santa Fe County New Mexico Deputy Sheriff Sgt. James Naranjo Charged With Shoplifing Handheld Radio - Caught On Video
March 17th, 2008
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO - New Mexico State Police have filed shoplifting charges against a Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputy, according to Santa Fe Sheriff Greg Solano. Sgt. James Naranjo was charged with shoplifting in Santa Fe magistrate court Thursday morning.
Lt. Rick Anglada of the New Mexico State Police said Naranjo took a portable handheld radio from A1 Communications in Santa Fe.
Anglada said surveillance video from the business shows Naranjo taking the radio, placing it on a counter, then picking up the radio and placing it in his pocket some time later. Anglada said when questioned, Naranjo admitted to taking the radio but that he thought it was his. Investigators found the radio under the front seat of Naranjo’s car.
Naranjo was in uniform and on duty at the time of the incident.
Read MoreLas Vegas New Mexico Man Legally Dresses Up Mustang To Look Like Transformers Police Car - “To Punish And Enslave” Slogan Sounds Like A Real Cop Though
March 12th, 2008
LAS VEGAS, NEW MEXICO - Jessie Vigil’s black-and-white car sports a red-and-blue emergency bar across the top and the word “police” painted on the doors. Vigil, however, isn’t a cop. Law enforcement agencies say what he’s done with his car isn’t illegal as long as he doesn’t act like a police officer.
He started decorating his 2007 Ford Mustang last summer to look like the police cruiser in the “Transformers” movie because his 7-year-old son, Thomas, was fond of the film.
“My intent was to re-create the movie car,” said Vigil, a 35-year-old disabled veteran from the war in Iraq. “When I came back from Iraq, I tried to spoil him. I wasn’t the best dad before.”
He said he called the district attorney’s office beforehand and spoke to Chief Deputy District Attorney Joe Ulibarri, who tried to discourage his decorating scheme but couldn’t find anything in the law that would stop Vigil as long as he didn’t impersonate an officer.
Read MoreNew Mexico Fat Cop Henry Gabaldón Whines About Judge’s Burger Verdict
February 18th, 2008
LOS LUNAS, NEW MEXICO - A pueblo police officer Henry Gabaldón whines about sentences for cooks who put marijuana on his hamburger. Looks like he should be eating something besides fast-food…
Woman Receives Settlement After Dragged And Assaulted By Las Vegas New Mexico Police Officer
February 17th, 2008
LAS VEGAS, NEW MEXICO - A Las Vegas woman who alleged a police officer dragged her in a dispute over a restraining order has settled a lawsuit against the city.
Panchita Maes Alirez’s attorney says she received $8,500 in return for dropping her lawsuit.
City Attorney Matt Sandoval declined to comment.
Alirez’s 2007 lawsuit alleged her left shoulder, arm, rib and hand were injured when she was dragged and slammed on the hood of her car in February 2005.
Her lawsuit said police accused her of violating a restraining order, disorderly conduct and resisting or refusing to obey an officer.
The lawsuit says she was acquitted of resisting an officer and disorderly conduct.
It contends no restraining order ever existed.
It Is All About Money - Albuquerque New Mexico Suspends Red Light Camera Program So That State Can’t Get A Cut Of The Profits
February 16th, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - Albuquerque Police Department spokesman John Walsh said that as of 5 p.m. Thursday, the city’s controversial red light camera program is suspended.
The cameras themselves may still be flashing and taking pictures, but anyone recorded after 5 p.m. Thursday will not be paying a fine.
Mayor Martin Chavez said he decided to suspend the program after the state Legislature approved a measure that would funnel part of the money generated by the program to state coffers.
Chavez said the legislation wouldn’t leave the city with enough money to operate the program.
If the money were to be directed to the state and the city would continue the camera program, Chavez said the cost would then be passed on to taxpayers rather than ticket-payers.
“We know immediately, it’s a $1.3 million hit to taxpayers that was not there before,” Chavez said.
Read MoreFormer Mora County New Mexico Deputy Sheriff Lucas Marquez, Previously Arrested, Fired, Charged With Rape In Sex For Woman’s Freedom Case, Hearing Scheduled
February 14th, 2008
LAS VEGAS, NEW MEXICO - A hearing is now scheduled February 26th for a former Mora County sheriff’s deputy accused of raping a woman while he was on duty.
Magistrate Philip Romero has rescheduled the hearing for 31-year-old Lucas Marquez, who is charged with criminal sexual penetration and bribery.
The hearing had been scheduled for last Thursday.
Authorities say Marquez was responding to a domestic disturbance call at a woman’s Guadalupita home in the summer of 2006.
She later reported to state police that she was given a choice when the deputy arrived—either go to jail or perform a sex act.
Marquez was fired after the allegations surfaced.
Marquez’s attorney, Ben Bauer, says his client denies doing anything illegal.
Hero Cooks Sentenced To Probation For Feeding Cops Pot Burgers - Isleta Pueblo New Mexico Police Officer Henry Gabaldon’s Panties Get In A Bind Because Judge Didn’t Throw The Book At Them
February 13th, 2008
Henry Gabaldon
Fat Cop Upset With Judge’s Burger Verdict
LOS LUNAS, NEW MEXICO - A pueblo police officer already mad at being served a burger spiked with marijuana is even more upset that the two men responsible got probation instead of jail sentences.
Henry Gabaldón and a fellow Isleta pueblo officer ate those burgers while on duty. Both got high and could have hurt themselves or someone else that night, he said.
Gabaldón called the crime a personal attack that had no consequences for the attackers.
“The message was it’s OK to hurt an officer,” Gabaldón said.
At first Gabaldón was very matter of fact about what happened on that October night in 2006.
He told KRQE News 13 how he and a fellow officer went to the Los Lunas Burger King and got Whoppers that had secretly been filled with pot.
Read MoreFarmington New Mexico Police Officer Farhon Smith Arrested, Suspended, Charged With Drunken Wreck And Trying To Cover It Up
February 1st, 2008
FARMINGTON, NEW MEXICO - A Farmington police officer is accused of driving drunk and crashing his personal car while off duty, then trying to cover it up.
Authorities say 31-year-old Farhon Smith was arrested Thursday on charges of driving under the influence of an intoxicating liquor and careless driving.
Farmington police Lt. Vince Mitchell says Smith called police earlier in the day to report his car was stolen from the parking lot at a bar.
The Daily Times in Farmington reports that minutes later, police found the car crashed into a utility pole in Farmington.
State police Capt. Noe Galvan says Smith had a blood-alcohol level of between 0.09 percent and 0.10 percent. The legal limit to operate a motor vehicle in New Mexico is 0.08 percent.
Smith has been placed on unpaid leave.
Santa Fe New Mexico Police Chase On City Streets Results In Crash, Injuries, Property Damage
January 28th, 2008
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO - A wild police chase in Santa Fe two days ago stunned officers and witnesses and left a video record of the pursuit to its destructive end.
The dashboard camera in a police cruiser picked up the chase which began about 9 p.m. Wednesday east of Santa Fe in Pecos on Wednesday. It only lasted 20 minutes moving from Interstate 24 to Santa Fe city streets and a broadside collision at an intersection.
“It was really crazy,” witness Daniel Vandygriff said. “I was standing right there, and I felt the impact in my chest.”
The driver of the red pickup truck was running from police and driving like he owned the road.
“His actions were very dangerous,” State Police Sgt. Lawrence Murray told KRQE News 13.
Read MoreMichigan Finally Stops Issuing Drivers Licenses To Wetbacks - Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, And Washington Continue To Kiss Border-Jumpers Asses
January 22nd, 2008
LANSING, MICHIGAN - Michigan will no longer let illegal immigrants get driver’s licenses, a practice just seven other states continue to allow.
Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, who oversees the motor vehicle department, announced the new policy Monday and said it takes effect Tuesday.
The new policy also prohibits people who are legal but not permanent U.S. residents from getting licenses. Legislation to allow those on temporary work or student visas to get licenses is pending in the Legislature.
The change is aimed at complying with an opinion issued last month by Attorney General Mike Cox, who said granting licenses to illegal immigrants is inconsistent with federal law. Opinions by the attorney general’s office are legally binding on state agencies and officers unless reversed by the courts.
The new policy applies to first-time applicants for a Michigan driver’s license or identification card. Updated procedures for renewals will be released soon.
Read MoreAlbuquerque New Mexico Police Officer Alters Form, Man Arrested, Charged With “State Of Your Momma” As Petitioner
January 18th, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - A gag by an inexperienced West Side police officer is now the subject of an Albuquerque Police Department internal investigation.
The officer had altered a template that police use to fill out criminal complaints when they make an arrest. Instead of reading “State of New Mexico vs.” it read “State of Your Momma.”
The altered template was actually used in filing charges against 24-year-old Michael Sanchez for punching his girlfriend. The officer filling out the complaint apparently didn’t notice the alteration.
“Unbeknownst to him, that prank kind of escalated to actually being filed as a formal document,” said APD Commander Conrad Candelaria.
Police believe that the domestic violence charge against Sanchez is the only instance where the altered template was used but concede there could be more and are investigating.
Candelaria says the case against Sanchez will not be thrown out. He says police are in the process of refiling the charges.
Read MoreUpdate: Veteran New Mexico State Police Officer Lt. Wesley LaCuesta Arrested, Charged After Verbally Assaulting His Estranged Wife, Attacking Her Car
January 17th, 2008
RIO RANCHO, NEW MEXICO - A state police officer has been arrested in Rio Rancho after he was accused of verbally assaulting his estranged wife and pulling out a window on her car.
Rio Rancho Department of Public Safety spokesman John Francis says Lt. Wesley LaCuesta was arrested Wednesday and charged with assault and criminal damage to property.
Francis says LaCuesta was in his personal vehicle when he reportedly pulled up behind his wife’s car and they argued through a partially opened window on her car.
Authorities say LaCuesta, a 15-year state police veteran, pulled on the window and broke it.
State police say LaCuesta was stationed in Taos and already was on leave because of an ongoing internal affairs investigation.
Veteran New Mexico State Police Officer Lt. Wesley Lacuesta Arrested, Charged With Domestic Violence Against His Wife
January 17th, 2008
RIO RANCHO, NEW MEXICO — A New Mexico State Police officer was arrested Wednesday.
Lt. Wesley Lacuesta was arrested in Rio Rancho after his estranged wife reported being physically abused.
Lacuesta’s wife told police that she and her husband got into a fight along Highway 528.
According to police, she said that they were both in their personal vehicles when he pulled up behind her, got out and walked to her partially opened window. She told police that they started arguing when Lacuesta broke her window.
Rio Rancho police told Action 7 News that this was not the first time they had heard from the couple.
“There have been other calls but we don’t have any arrest history. This will be the first time we’ve arrested this individual,” said John Francis, who is with the Department of Public Safety.
Police arrested Lacuesta without incident.
Read MoreAlbuquerque New Mexico Speed Cameras Rake In Taxpayer Dollars, City Trying To Figure Out What To Blow The Money On
January 16th, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - The red light camera program could put an extra $10 million in Albuquerque’s bank account and now the city needs to figure out what to do with the cash.
The task force that studied the red light camera program is asking Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez to lower the fines, and spend all of the extra cash on educational programs and traffic studies.
Since the red light camera program started in 2005, it has generated five million extra dollars.
This year, the city is expecting to make at least another $5 million, but if the fines are reduced, the city should still pull in $4 million.
Red light runners currently pay $100 when caught by a camera. The task force is recommending that be reduced to $69.
The task force is also recommending that speeding fines should be reduced from $100 to $74, the same amount an officer fines a speeder.
Read MoreVeteran San Juan County New Mexico Jailer Tom Havel Arrested, Suspended Charged With Kidnapping, Battery, Witness Intimidation After Attack On His Wife
January 15th, 2008
SAN JUAN COUNTY, NEW MEXICO - The man who used to run the San Juan County jail for eight years is now behind bards [LOL].
Investigators say an argument over getting divorced is what started the incident.
Now Tom Havel, 54, is charged kidnapping, aggravated battery, and intimidation of a witness.
His wife Lorna told police that Havel choked her, dragged her by the hair, and told her that she was “going to die.”
She also accused Havel of not letting her leave the house.
The county has placed Havel on paid leave.
“It’s our policy when we do have a situation like this for us to take this action and put them on administrative leave and then for us to go ahead and wait and let the courts do what they need to do,” said San Juan County official Keith Johns.
Read MoreFormer Albuquerque New Mexico Police Officer David Maes Pleads Not Guilty To Raping Prisoner On Baseball Field
January 14th, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - A former Albuquerque police officer pleaded not guilty Monday morning to raping a female prisoner he was transporting to jail back in October.
David Maes also asked District Court Judge Michael Cavanaugh whether he could live in Colorado where he is working until his case goes to trial.
Maes was taken into custody in October after the police department’s sex crimes unit investigated an allegation made by the woman, who had been treated at Lovelace after wrecking a stolen car prior to the incident.
The woman claims that Maes made sexually provocative gestures while she was under observation at the hospital.
She claims that he later diverted his APD cruiser while en route to the Metropolitan Detention Center and raped her in an empty baseball field.
Maes resigned from the Albuquerque Police Department last month. He remains free on bond.
Read MoreFormer Las Cruces New Mexico Police Officer Anthony Coble Receives A Plea Deal, Slap On The Wrist For Tempering With Public Records
January 4th, 2008
LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO - A former Las Cruces police officer has accepted a plea deal that stemmed from accusations he tampered with records.
Anthony Coble, 40, entered an Alford plea Thursday to two misdemeanor counts of attempting to commit a felony by tampering with public records. Under an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges he could be convicted.
State District Judge Doug Driggers sentenced Coble to three years, but suspended the time and ordered Coble to serve three years of supervised probation.
As part of the deal, Coble agreed to give up his state law enforcement officer certification.
“It’s probably fair,” prosecutor Susan Reidel. “The primary concern in this case is that Mr. Coble not be allowed to be a police officer again.”
Coble and his attorney, Lara Smalls, declined to comment.
Read MoreMilitary Police Officer Micah Henry Arrested, Charged With Vehicular Homicide After Drunken Wreck On New Year’s Eve In Albuquerque New Mexico’s First Fatal Crash Of 2008
January 2nd, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - It took less than two hours for Albuquerque to record its first drunken driving fatal crash of the year.
Police said Micah Henry, a military police officer at Kirtland Air Force Base, faces two counts of homicide by vehicle after he ran a red light early New Year’s Day and crashed into a pickup truck, killing the man and woman inside.
Henry, who was being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center on Tuesday, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.16 percent, twice the legal limit, police said.
“It’s the typical story where the drunk walks away without a scratch,” Albuquerque police spokesman John Walsh said. “This is so tragic.”
Police could not immediately identify the victims because they were not carrying any identification, Walsh said.
Read MoreNew Mexico Juvenile Detention Center Employee Paul Ramos On The Run After Raping Girl Twice After Her Release
December 16th, 2007
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - A Juvenile Detention Center employee accused of raping a girl he met at the facility is on the run.
Sources say Paul Ramos called the girl after she was released from the lockup in October.
She says Ramos invited her to a motel to hang out, but that he forced her to have sex. The girl also said he threatened to get her in trouble if she told anyone.
The accuser said she was raped again in December after being called by Ramos to his apartment.
Police suspect Ramos and his wife may be in Florida.
25 Year Old Charged With Murdering His Mother - New Mexico State Police Officer Susan Kuchma
December 13th, 2007
LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO — Las Cruces police have arrested 25-year-old Justin Quintana and have charged him with an open count of murder in the shooting death of Susan Kuchma, Quintana’s mother and a five-year veteran of the New Mexico State Police.
Police responded to the intersection of Dr. King Way and Taylor Drive at around 2:30 Thursday morning after learning of the shooting. When police arrived they found the victim laying in the street and Quintana nearby. She had been shot once and died at the scene. Quintana was taken into custody and detained for questioning.
A handgun was found at the scene and secured by police.
State police spokesman Lieutenant Rick Anglada said the 43-year-old officer was married to another state police officer, patrolman Patrick Kuchma.
The Kuchmas are stationed in the state police’s District 4, headquartered in Las Cruces.
Read MoreSuspended Albuquerque New Mexico Police Officer David Maes Quits Amid Prisoner Rape Allegations
December 12th, 2007
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO — An Albuquerque police officer accused of raping a woman while working has resigned.
David Maes resigned this week.
Investigators said that Maes raped a female prisoner he was transporting in October.
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He was arrested and put on leave following that arrest.
District Attorney Kari Brandenburg said that the case was ready to go to the grand jury several weeks ago, but it has since been put on hold pending more investigation.
Albuquerque Police Department spokesman John Walsh said that if an indictment was handed down by the grand jury the result would have been the same — Maes would have been terminated.
Walsh said the incident most likely will not result in changes in the way female suspects are transported to jail.
Maes’ attorney was out of town and unavailable for comment on the case.
New Mexico State Police Officer Keith Salazar And Former San Juan County Deputy Sheriff Levi Countryman Arrested, Charged With Roles In Methamphetamine Drug Ring
December 8th, 2007
FARMINGTON, NEW MEXICO — In the wake of the execution of six search warrants and two arrests conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Farmington Friday, a manhunt remains in progress for a third person named in the federal indictment.
Arrested as part of a local methamphetamine drug ring were Keith Salazar, a New Mexico State Police officer, and Levi Countryman, a former San Juan County Sheriff’s deputy.
Federal authorities continue to search for Daniel Tarango, one of the three men named in an indictment handed down by a federal grand jury in Albuquerque.
Tarango is described as 5 feet, 4 inches tall and 120 pounds. He is considered to be armed and dangerous. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to his arrest.
Anyone with information about Tarango is asked to call the FBI at 505-889-1300.
Read MoreAlbuquerque New Mexico Police Use Department Helicopter On Run For Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
December 5th, 2007
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - No one begrudges a cop his or her doughnuts, but questions are being asked in Albuquerque about one recent case in which a pair of the city’s finest dropped in for a box of Krispy Kremes in a police helicopter.
Eyewitnesses said a Kiowa OH-58 chopper owned by the Albuquerque Police Department — which reportedly costs taxpayers about $80 an hour to fuel and fly, not including salaries and benefits for two crew members — came swooping in out of the night sky one recent evening. It circled several times around its intended target, then alighted in a nearby lot while a passenger went in for a box of doughnuts. Mission accomplished, the chopper buzzed off, sounding the siren by way of bidding onlookers adieu.
Read MoreFort Sumner Police Officer Robert Roybal And Wife Charged In Vehicle Scam
November 24th, 2007
FORT SUMNER, NEW MEXICO - A Fort Sumner police officer and his wife have been arrested on charges they conspired to take and trade a vehicle seized by the De Baca County Sheriff’s Department, according to a press release from New Mexico State Police.
Robert Roybal and his wife MaryAnn Sanchez were arraigned Tuesday in De Baca Magistrate Court and released on appearance bonds, the release said.
The arrest came as a result of an investigation into former De Baca County Sheriff Michael Chavez, who was charged with multiple counts of embezzlement in August, according to court records.
Chavez is accused of trading a 1998 Dodge minivan seized during a 2006 traffic stop as payment for repair work performed by Roybal on Chavez’s personal vehicle, court records show.
Roybal told police Chavez gave him the title for the van and Roybal instructed his wife to take it to the Motor Vehicle Division and get a new title for it, according to an arrest warrant.
Read MoreDona Ana County New Mexico Pays Up To Settle Jail Killing Case
November 20th, 2007
LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO - Doña Ana County has settled a federal lawsuit against its detention center brought by the wife of an inmate allegedly killed by another inmate.
It is the third lawsuit against the Doña Ana County Detention Center settled since September.
The lawsuit brought by Sylvia Avalos for the April 2, 2006 stabbing and beating death of Adam Avalos, 29, was settled earlier this month, according to court filings.
The amount of the settlement was not disclosed. Both sides were ordered to file closing documents by Dec. 10.
According to court records, Avalos was allegedly killed by Dominic Montoya, who is awaiting trial. The records state Avalos’ was beaten, his throat was slashed and his right ear was cut off.
The lawsuit pointed to the differing criminal histories of Montoya and Adam Avalos, and claims the two should have been housed in different sections of the jail.
Read MoreRaton New Mexico Police Use Taser Weapon To Kill Man Who Acted Unusual - Witness Says Police Are Lying About Killing
November 20th, 2007
RATON, NEW MEXICO — Family members of Jesse Saenz blame Raton Police for his death.
The 20 year old died early Sunday morning after police used a taser to subdue him.
One witness and police agree that Saenz was acting in an unusual manner when officers arrived. However, that seems to be all the witness and police agree upon.
Police said Saenz was struggling and battled them as they tried to put him into custody.
“He was in a fight with officers the entire time”, Raton Police Capt. Mike Galardi told Action 7 News.
He added that the only choice officers had was to use force. Galardi also said authorities used the taser only once to get Saenz under control.
A witness, who asked Action 7 News to keep his identity concealed, said that there was no struggle and that police used their stun guns over a five minute period.
Read MoreAlbuquerque New Mexico Police Officer David Joseph Maes Charged With Showing Woman His Nightstick In Hospital Room, Taking Her To Baseball Field And Raping Her Before Taking Her To Jail
November 16th, 2007
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - The Albuquerque police officer charged last month in the rape of a woman in his custody is accused of taking the woman to a baseball field to have sex before taking her to the jail transport center, according to court documents.
The Metro Court criminal complaint detailing the rape allegations against David Joseph Maes, 28, have been sealed since his arrest Oct. 11.
Unsealed Wednesday, the complaint says the woman making the allegations was arrested Oct. 10 after she crashed a car that had been reported stolen.
She was treated at an Albuquerque hospital for injuries and was under guard by Maes, according to the complaint.
In the hospital room, Maes is accused of making sexual comments to the woman and exposing himself to her while she was in the hospital bed.
After her release from the hospital, the complaint says, Maes took her so she could change clothes.
Read MoreParent’s Lawsuit Charges Bernalillo County New Mexico Deputy Deputy Bryan Judy And Department After Shooting And Killing Suicidal Daughter
November 16th, 2007
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - The parents of a suicidal 20-year-old woman shot to death by Bernalillo County deputies have sued, contenting the deputies should have approached her with Tasers, not guns.
The wrongful death lawsuit, filed Tuesday in state district court by Paul and Debra Wayne, blames a lack of training for the deputies’ actions that left Brittany Wayne dead in her bedroom on Nov. 20, 2005, some 23 seconds after deputies arrived.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and changes to the way the department trains deputies in dealing with people with mental health problems.
“I know that the main thing that the family wants is to leave some sort of legacy for Brittany other than her tragic death,” said Cammie Nichols, the family’s attorney.
Department policy does not allow comment on lawsuits, said Undersheriff Sal Baragiola.
Read MoreWetback And Drug Smugglers On US-Mexico Border Outman And Outgun U.S. Law Enforcement
November 15th, 2007
WASHINGTON, DC - Alien and drug smugglers along the U.S.-Mexico border have spawned a rise in violence against federal, state and local law-enforcement authorities, who say they are outmanned and outgunned.
“They’ve got weapons, high-tech radios, computers, cell phones, Global Positioning Systems, spotters and can react faster than we are able to,” said Shawn P. Moran, a 10-year U.S. Border Patrol veteran who serves as vice president of the National Border Patrol Council Local 1613 in San Diego.
“And they have no hesitancy to attack the agents on the line, with anything from assault rifles and improvised Molotov cocktails to rocks, concrete slabs and bottles,” he said. “There are so many agent ‘rockings’ that few are even reported anymore. If we wrote them all up, that’s all we would be doing.”
Read MoreAlbuquerque New Mexico Police Officer David Maes Arrested, Suspended, Charged With On-Duty Rape
November 15th, 2007
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO — Wednesday night the district attorney’s office released arrest warrants on an Albuquerque police officer, accused of a sex crime.
David Maes is accused of attacking a woman in custody in October.
According to the arrest warrant filed against Maes, a woman was picked up by police after being involved in a car accident.
She was allegedly driving a stolen vehicle.
According to the documents, after being taken into custody she complained of blurred vision and was taken to Lovelace Medical Center on Martin Luther King Boulevard.
The suspect in custody said Maes replaced an officer who was keeping watch over her.
She said that’s when Maes started making inappropriate comments and exposed himself to her.
She also stated that after the hospital released her, Maes took her to her house to change and then took her to baseball fields near Locust and Odelia and then raped her.
Read MoreOtero County New Mexico Sheriff’s Officials Deny Wrongdoing Despite Reports Which Indicate Otherwise
November 12th, 2007
ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO - The Otero County Sheriff’s Department insisted they only happened upon undocumented immigrants during the course of special police operations this summer, but their own reports suggest the deputies were actively seeking migrants.
One report from September, for instance, starts, “Deputies patrolled Mesa (southeast corner of the county), U.S. 54 South and Chaparral at the same time in attempt to locate illegal persons entering Otero County through the three main arteries.”
In another report, a deputy said he had been stopping at a particular residence in Chaparral “many times” because he knew an undocumented immigrant lived there but the man was never home.
The documents, incident reports and invoices filed with the state of New Mexico, were obtained by the El Paso Times under the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act.
They show that the county conducted 27 operations with federal funding under the Operation Stonegarden program between May and September.
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