Former Estancia Mayor Nathan Dial expressed concern for the town’s economy if the Torrance County Detention Facility ceases operation, as newly released data shows a surge and decline in detainees during the contract period. The six-month contract between CoreCivic and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was enacted in April and expired at the end of […]
Courts, Justice & Safety
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Pueblos
Federal jury convicts man in 2018 kidnapping after seven years as fugitive
A federal jury has convicted a man who evaded capture for seven years after kidnapping and carjacking his former employer in a violent 2018 attack in Placitas. Jose Ramirez, 37, was found guilty this week of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, conspiracy to carjack, carjacking, using a firearm during a crime of violence and extortion, according […]
Posted inBernalillo
Bernalillo Baby Box a new option for dropping off infants
The Bernalillo community Wednesday celebrated the launch of something many hope is never needed. Dozens of people attended a blessing for the town’s first “baby box,” at the main fire station. The secure chamber is designed to provide a safe, anonymous place in which a parent can voluntarily surrender an infant up to 18 months […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Westside Albuquerque
Federal judge orders Iranian bodybuilder’s release from New Mexico jail
This article was originally published by Source NM. By Patrick Lohmann A federal judge in Albuquerque on Monday ordered the immediate release of an Iranian man held at an Estancia immigration lockup for the last six months, agreeing with his lawyers that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency was not acting quickly enough to deport […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Courts, Justice & Safety
Albuquerque’s Tiger King? Drug trafficker sentenced for wildlife smuggling
The leader of a drug trafficking organization that moved tens of thousands of fentanyl pills from Mexico into Albuquerque was sentenced Tuesday to 17 years in federal prison. David Mendoza-Enriquez, 42, a Mexican national illegally present in the United States, pleaded guilty to eight federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, alien smuggling and illegal […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Westside Albuquerque
Habitual shoplifter gets 8-year prison sentence for thefts spanning three counties
A 67-year-old man who shoplifted more than 50 times from home improvement stores across three New Mexico counties, including Sandoval County, was sentenced to eight years in prison, state Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced. Angel Cedeno pleaded guilty in October to organized retail crime (theft), a second-degree felony, following a pattern of thefts from Home […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Westside Albuquerque
Three charged in wind farm burglaries in Torrance County
Three people face multiple charges following a pair of burglaries last month at a wind farm facility in Torrance County, with investigators piecing together the case through surveillance footage, social media posts and confidential sources, court documents show. The Torrance County Sheriff’s Office responded to the first burglary on Nov. 17 at the Tecolote Wind […]
Posted inBernalillo, Courts, Justice & Safety
Bernalillo Fire Department to dedicate baby box
The Town of Bernalillo Fire Department will hold a dedication and blessing ceremony for its new Safe Haven Baby Box on Wednesday at 3 p.m., providing a safe and anonymous option for mothers in crisis to surrender their infants. The ceremony will take place at the Bernalillo Fire Department, 829 S Camino Del Pueblo, marking […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Madrid
New Mexico State Police seek information on summer Madrid shooting
New Mexico State Police are seeking information on a man who died from a gunshot wound on the side of the road outside Madrid in August, according to a news release sent on Tuesday. On Aug. 9, the New Mexico State Police responded to a call of a man with a gunshot wound near milepost […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Housing & Homelessness
Man arrested in online child predator sting operation in Estancia
A 67-year-old Albuquerque man faces multiple felony charges after allegedly soliciting a minor through an online platform in an undercover investigation, according to court documents filed last week in Torrance County Magistrate Court. The suspect was arrested Dec. 3 at a Speedway gas station in Estancia following a week-long investigation by local law enforcement, according […]