As the Albuquerque Police Department investigates wrong-doing by its DWI officers the probe has expanded to include the commander of Internal Affairs. Cmdr. Mark Landavazo has been put on administrative leave, the department announced Tuesday evening. “We are investigating every aspect of these allegations, from the role of officers to supervisors,” Chief Harold Medina said […]
Courts, Justice & Safety
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Courts, Justice & Safety, Local Government
Too scared to tell
This is part three of a series on child abuse and the professionals who are tasked with handling these cases. Read part one and part two. When a child has experienced abuse, they don’t often disclose it right away and sometimes that disclosure comes by accident or discovery. Marzieh Cassidy, the Developmental Specialist and Licensed […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Courts, Justice & Safety
Motel owner, manager sentenced in drug scheme
The owner and manager of an East Central motel have been sentenced to years in prison for their part in a drug trafficking scheme. The owner of the motel, Pragneshkumar Patel, a 36-year-old from Mobile, Alabama was sentenced to 30 months in prison, ordered to pay $40,000 in fines and $9,000 in restitution and made […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, New Mexico Statewide News
NM DOJ announces new Cold Case Unit
The homicides of New Mexico residents Thomas and Judy McKnight, Stephen Sandlin, Jack Lee Elckins, Annie Tapia, Judy and Gary Wilson and Erilaina Chavez, haven’t been solved yet but the newly formed Cold Case Unit at New Mexico’s Department of Justice hasn’t forgotten them. Attorney General Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced the formation of the […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Courts, Justice & Safety, Local Government
Goin’ to the courthouse, gonna get married
Albuquerque Metropolitan Court will conduct in-person Valentine’s Day weddings for the first time in three years. The court had been conducting all Valentine’s nuptials virtually since 2021. “This marks the 24th year in which the Metropolitan Court Judges been have performing Valentine’s Day weddings for the public, and there’s even more excitement around the event […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, New Mexico Statewide News, Uncategorized
Las Cruces officer fatally stabbed before a witness shoots and kills suspect, police say
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A Las Cruces city police officer was fatally stabbed over the weekend while responding to a trespassing report and a witness to the attack apparently shot and killed the suspect before calling on the officer’s radio for help, authorities said Monday. Las Cruces police said Patrol Officer Jonah Hernandez, 35, […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Courts, Justice & Safety, Local Government
BCSO deputy arrested on domestic violence and DWI charges
After getting into a fight with his girlfriend, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputy Daniel Vasquez-Moreno was arrested early this morning and charged with one count of aggravated battery of a household member and driving while intoxicated. According to BCSO spokeswoman Jayme Fuller Gonzales, Vasquez-Moreno has been placed on administrative leave following the incident. She said he […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Courts, Justice & Safety, Local Government
‘If I am out of a job someday, I would be thrilled’
This is part one of a series on child abuse and the professionals who are tasked with handling these cases. Read part two and part three. It was the culmination of five years of hard work—Krista Cruz was about to be sentenced for her role in the 2019 murder of her four-year-old son, after he […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Courts, Justice & Safety
Six APD detectives responded to nearly 700 child abuse reports last year
This is part two of a series on child abuse and the professionals who are tasked with handling these cases. Read part one and part three. Last year, the Albuquerque Police Department’s crimes against children unit responded to just under 700 cases of child abuse in the city and went to 67 that were physically […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Courts, Justice & Safety, Housing & Homelessness
New police oversight board meets after year hiatus
After more than a year, the city’s Civilian Police Oversight Advisory Board met Feb. 8 to get organized on how to go about clearing a backlog of more than 82 civilian complaints against the Albuquerque Police Department. This was their first meeting in more than a year after city councilors did a major revamp of […]