Affidavit: Suspect assaulted corrections officer during attempted escape
A woman in custody at the San Miguel County Detention Center on charges relating to a string of violent robberies last year faces additional charges of assaulting a corrections officer while attempting to escape custody.
Adamina R. Esquibel, 20, of Las Vegas, has been charged with one count battery upon a peace officer, and one count attempt to escape from the custody of a peace officer following a March 21 incident.
Esquibel was in the custody of SMCDC officers while at Alta Vista Regional Hospital when she asked to use the bathroom. As the officer was removing handcuffs from her wrists, Esquibel grabbed the handcuff key and pulled away from the officer, according to an arrest affidavit filed in San Miguel Magistrate Court.
During the struggle, police allege Esquibel slammed a door on the officer, causing abrasions to his hand and elbow, and the officer had to drag her from the bathroom, according to the affidavit. Esquibel continued to resist the officer, and kick at him until he was able to handcuff her again.
An officer with the Las Vegas Police Department responded and noted cuts to the correction officer’s hand and arm. LVPD reviewed security video from Alta Vista, which according to the affidavit, shows Esquibel grabbing the officer’s keys and attempting to remove the handcuffs before slamming the door on the officer’s arm.
Esquibel was in SMCDC custody because she was charged with stealing a handgun from a man after borrowing his truck. At the time, she was supposed to be on house arrest following charges of robbing several people with her boyfriend, Brian J. Sandoval, 19.
Court records show Sandoval is in Arizona where he’s in an in-patient treatment program, and that Esquibel had been in a treatment program in New Mexico, but was sent home in November due to a case of COVID-19 involving someone in the program.
Esquibel and Sandoval were arrested in early October after police sought them for weeks in a sting of violent robberies, including one that left an older man with severe injuries.
Sandoval has been charged in three separate cases. He faces charges of resisting, evading arrest and possession of drug paraphernalia in one case, robbery in a second case, and charges of robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and aggravated battery in a third case.
Sandoval is scheduled to go to trial beginning Oct. 12 in a case where he’s accused of grabbing a purse from a woman walking on Hot Springs Boulevard. Trial dates have not been scheduled in the other cases against him.
Esquibel now faces a total of 10 felony charges. In addition to the new charges of battery on a peace officer and attempt to escape, Esquibel faces charges of robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, burglary of a vehicle, larceny, motor vehicle theft, conspiracy to commit burglary of a vehicle and larceny of a firearm.
Esquibel is scheduled to go to trial beginning May 18 to face the charges of robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. The charges stem from an incident where police allege Sandoval and Esquibel robbed a man in the doorway to his house, shoved him to the ground and stole his wallet.
The firearm larceny case was transferred to District Court April 14 for trial, but a trial date has not been scheduled.
Esquibel is scheduled to appear in Magistrate Court on May 20 for a preliminary hearing in the newest case against her. She remained in custody at SMCDC as of this writing.
