Category: Criminal Justice

Ruiz sentenced on federal drug charges; Murder trial slated for June

Ruiz sentenced on federal drug charges; Murder trial slated for June

From the Las Vegas Optic One of 12 people charged with drug trafficking offenses following raids by federal agents in the summer of 2019 has been sentenced. The federal sentencing allows for Marcos R. Ruiz to go on trial for murder in Las Vegas. During a March 23 hearing in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque,…

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Two suspects sought in trafficking case released from jail days before new charges filed

Two suspects sought in trafficking case released from jail days before new charges filed

From the Las Vegas Optic A man and a woman were released from the San Miguel County Detention Center just days before prosecutors filed new charges against them, records show. Police are now searching for the duo, accusing one of them of trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin. Officers with the Las Vegas Police Department arrested…

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Suspect awaiting trial in death of ‘Skip’ faces new charges

Suspect awaiting trial in death of ‘Skip’ faces new charges

From the Las Vegas Optic The man accused of killing 71-year-old William “Skip” Smith Jr. in the summer of 2019 is facing new charges. Police allege 42-year-old Seig Isaac Chavez (who’s listed as Isaac Seig Chavez in some court documents) hid two weapons and other contraband in his jail cell at the San Miguel County…

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Thousands of cannabis convictions set to vanish, Focus shifts to narcotics traffickers

Thousands of cannabis convictions set to vanish, Focus shifts to narcotics traffickers

From the Las Vegas Optic As New Mexicans 21 or older step into retail shops to legally purchase cannabis for recreational use, tens of thousands of people in the state still have cannabis-related convictions on their records. That’s set to change, though. In April of last year, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham enacted new laws that…

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Breaking: Jail guard accused of delivering drugs to inmates

Breaking: Jail guard accused of delivering drugs to inmates

From the Las Vegas Optic A corrections officer with the San Miguel County Detention Center is accused of accepting cash bribes in exchange for bringing packages containing narcotics to jail inmates. Investigators with the Region IV Narcotics Task Force allege that 31-year-old Joseph M. Sena III, used his position as a corrections officer to bring…

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Storrie Lake shooter sentenced for murder; trial pending for alleged second shooter

Storrie Lake shooter sentenced for murder; trial pending for alleged second shooter

From the Las Vegas Optic One of the two men accused of shooting and killing 16-year-old Adelina Tafoya in July 2020 pleaded guilty Monday to multiple felonies as part of a plea agreement. Roger Tait-Gomez, 31, was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder during a virtual appearance in District…

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Prosecutors seek to hold Jaramillo until trial From the Las Vegas Optic

Prosecutors seek to hold Jaramillo until trial From the Las Vegas Optic

From the Las Vegas Optic The woman accused of lying about being kidnapped and leading police on a chase that ended with a deadly crash could be held without bond until trial. Prosecutors in the First Judicial District filed a motion this week in Santa Fe Magistrate Court seeking pretrial detention for 46-year-old Jeannine J.…

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Second suspect in jail murder faces new charges

Second suspect in jail murder faces new charges

From the Las Vegas Optic A second man accused of killing a San Miguel County jail inmate faces new charges of possessing deadly weapons and attempting to escape. In December, another of the seven men charge with first-degree murder in the 2021 death of Eric L. Vigil was charged with similar offenses. Daniel J. Magallanes…

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Two convicted in 2020 murder of Cassandra Lucero

Two convicted in 2020 murder of Cassandra Lucero

From the Las Vegas Optic The two people charged in the 2020 death of Cassandra Lucero have accepted separate plea agreements, avoiding trial. Lucero’s charred remains were located on a ranch in Mora in October 2020 after family had reported her missing weeks prior. Following the discovery of the remains, police arrested  Amber J. Archuleta,…

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