Category: Crime - KDEM-FM 94.3 - KOTS-AM 1230 Radio

KDEM-FM 94.3 - KOTS-AM 1230 Radio

Local Crime Report for Wednesday September 11, 2013

9/11/2013

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:

Louis Garcia, age 41, was arrested for fraudulent use of a credit card… Raymond Smyer, age 45, was arrested for disorderly conduct and interference with officers… Rigoberto Garay, age 31, was arrested on a District Court warrant for a probation violation… Rosendo Jurado, age 32, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to pay fines… and Travis Whaley, age 30, of Montezuma Creek, Utah, was arrested on an out-of-county warrant.

Also… Estevan Anzaldua, age 21, was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia… and a 15-year-old girl was cited for battery at Deming High School.

Sheriff Questions Parole for Murderer

9/11/2013

Luna County Sheriff Raymond Cobos

(Deming) – Luna County Sheriff Raymond Cobos is questioning whether six years of incarceration is enough for a convicted murder and escaped convict.

     Ernesto Gutierrez, who was convicted in the August 1983 stabbing death of Francisco “Kiki” Rodriguez at the Esquivias Lounge south of Deming, is scheduled for a parole hearing Friday.

     Gutierrez was sentenced to 12 years in the New Mexico Corrections system in September of 1983 – 30 years ago – for Rodriguez’s death, but escaped from the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility west of Las Cruces in November of 1984 – just over a year later – and lived for over 23 years as a fugitive in Mexico before being caught again in January of 2008 and extradited to New Mexico to serve his time.

     Cobos, who was a captain and one of Gutierrez’s arresting officers in 1983, said he is sending a letter to the parole board saying he doesn’t feel six total years of incarceration is adequate to address Gutierrez’s murder and escape-from-custody charges.

     Interestingly, Gutierrez was in Luna County that fateful day in 1983 because he had fled Mexico after reportedly slashing the throat of a Mexican police chief.

     Gutierrez and his brother, Manuel, were both sentenced for Rodriguez’s murder, but Manuel was unsuccessful in his escape attempt and served his time decades ago.

Baca Aquatic Center Damage At Least $80,000

9/11/2013

(Deming) – The vandalism damage to the Sam Baca Aquatic Center has totaled between $80,000 and $100,000.

     City Administrator Rick McInturff said those figures were presented by the city’s insurance adjustor after the break-in last Wednesday morning which resulted in structural damage to walls and doors and facility-wide criminal damage.

     McInturff said the total is so high because of contamination from fire extinguishers which were discharged throughout the pool office and into at least one of the pools.   McInturff said they will have to wash the entire interior of the building to clean up the graffiti and fire extinguisher damage.

     McInturff said they have another concern that pumps were operated without water and they are assessing the short-term and long-term damage done to those pumps.

     He added that a disaster clean-up crew from Albuquerque will be arriving Monday to continue the extensive clean-up effort.

     Again, anyone with information on the criminal damage at the pool is encouraged to contact Lt. Det. Matt Rudiger with the Deming Police Department at 546-3011, or Crime Stoppers at 546-7800 or Tipsoft by anonymously submitting information via text to LUNATIP at CRIMES – or 274637.

Local Crime Report for Tuesday September 10, 2013

9/10/2013

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:

     Patricia Johnson-Bradberry, age 65, was arrested for DUI, having an open container, no display of registration and on an improper lane driving violation… Brice Diel, age 19, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear and on a Municipal warrant for failure to pay fines… Jose Sigala, age 20, of Columbus, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear… and Nick Dahlia, age 39, was cited for trespassing at Peppers Supermarket.

     In other news… a 49-year-old bicyclist was transported to the hospital with neck pain after he was hit by a vehicle at the intersection of Pine and Gold; 30—year-old James Lopez was cited for careless driving.

     Also… bathroom fixtures were taken from a rental property off Ruby Street… and a bicycle valued at $350 was taken from a residence off Klondike.

Local Crime Report for Monday September 9, 2013

9/9/2013

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:

     Dwayne Mullins, age 34, was arrested for aggravated DUI, driving while license was suspended or revoked, having an open container and on a failure to stop driving violation… Jorge Lozano, age 18, was arrested for DUI, trafficking in a controlled substance and having an open container… Jonathan Gonzalez, age 20, was arrested for DUI, driving while license was suspended or revoked, possession of drug paraphernalia, speeding, on an improper turn driving violation and for no insurance… Patrick Hervol, age 51, was arrested for DUI, having an expired registration and on an improper lane driving violation… Jesus Manuel Granillo, age 20, was arrested for DUI.

    Oscar Contreras-Rodriguez, age 33, was arrested for battery and disorderly conduct… Mauricio Hinojos, age 35, was arrested for battery… Neira Celene Cazares, age 19, was arrested for driving while license was suspended or revoked… Jesus Quintana, age 44, of Artesia, was arrested for driving while license was suspended or revoked… Omar Avila, age 25, was arrested for unlawful use of a license… Joseph Brigham, age 45, was arrested for drunkenness.

     Steven Lewis, age 26, of Mindin, Nevada, was arrested on a Governor’s warrant for extradition… Jesus Esteban Garcia, age 24, was arrested on a District Court warrant for a probation violation… Daniel Ryan Gillispie, age 27, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to pay fines… Jose Manuel Marin, age 20, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to pay fines… Cesar Valdez, age 22, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to pay fines.

     Leroy Almanza, age 36, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for failure to appear… Cristina Delgado, age 21, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for failure to appear… Cesar Granillo, age 38, of Las Cruces, was arrested on a Mesilla Municipal warrant… and a 16-year-old boy from Palomas, Mexico, was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

     Also… a four-wheeler valued at $750 was reported stolen from an auction location off the Columbus Highway.

Local Crime Report for Thursday September 5, 2013

9/5/2013

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:

     Tomas Esparza, age 19, was arrested for reckless driving, unlawful use of a license, on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear, and on a Municipal warrant for failure to pay fines… Jonathan Flores, age 26, of Odessa, Texas, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for failure to appear.

     Adan Baca, age 39, was cited for trespassing at a business and having alcohol in a public place… Jose Vasquez, age 47, was cited for trespassing at a business and having alcohol in a public place… and Mark Lange, age 41, was cited for trespassing at a business.

     Also… $1,300 worth of jewelry was taken from a residence off Kiva Road Southwest… and the mouth piece to an ignition interlock system valued at $100 was reported missing by a resident off Unicorn Road Southwest.

Aquatic Center Extensively Damaged

9/5/2013

(Deming) – Deming Police officers continue to investigate a break-in at the Sam Baca Aquatic Center that happened Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

     City Administrator Rick McInturff described the total in tens-of-thousands of dollars in damage.

     Police Chief Brandon Gigante said the vandals may have had a key to gain entry into the municipal pool facility, although detectives were still determining how entry was made.

     But, Gigante said, they caused extensive damage once they got inside.

     He said there was structural damage to walls and doors… windows were broken… shower heads were broken and water poured into the locker rooms… paint, which the vandals found on the premises, was used to paint graffiti on walls and windows… and computers and monitors were broken.

     The break-in was discovered by city employee Felix Flores as he reported to work at about 7 a.m. Wednesday to begin closing the pool for the winter.

     Anyone with information on the criminal damage at the pool is encouraged to contact Lt. Det. Matt Rudiger with the Deming Police Department at 546-3011, or Crime Stoppers at 546-7800 or Tipsoft by anonymously submitting information via text to LUNATIP at CRIMES – or 274637.

Local Crime Report for Monday August 26, 2013

8/26/2013

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:
Diego Diaz-Tapia, age 19, of Hatch, was arrested for aggravated DUI… Victor Amaro, age 29, was arrested for DUI, driving while license was suspended or revoked, speeding and on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear… Stephanie Begay, age 21, of Yahtahey, New Mexico, was arrested for aggravated battery against a household member… Daniel Otero, age 31, was arrested for battery against a household member… Martin Jacquez, age 19, was arrested for battery… Jonathan Medrano, age 23, was arrested for larceny and tampering with evidence…

     Ricky Blanco, age 52, was arrested on a District Court warrant for failure to appear… Victor Carrazco, age 40, was arrested on a District Court warrant for failure to pay fines… Anthony Lucero, age 23, was arrested on a District Court warrant for failure to pay fines… James Matson, age 40, was arrested on a District Court warrant for failure to pay fines… Arthur Villa, age 44, was arrested on a District Court warrant for failure to pay fines…

     Michelle Ramos, age 30, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to pay fines and failure to appear… Victor Gomez, age 18, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear… Steven Arechiga, age 18, was arrested on a Dona Ana County warrant for failure to appear… Gary Torres, age 32, of Phoenix, Arizona, was arrested on two Municipal warrants for failure to pay fines… Lourdes Quarrell, age 46, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for failure to appear… and a 14-year-old girl was cited for battery.

     And in other news… household items totaling $2,500 were taken from a residence off West Third… nearly $300 in criminal damage was reported at a motel off West Pine after someone damaged a door and attempted to take a DVD player and television… office equipment valued at $100 was taken from a business off North Gold… and a counterfeit $20 was discovered at a local gas station.

Smuggling Case Dismissed Against Santa Fe Residents

8/26/2013

(Deming) – The case against two Santa Fe residents caught at the Columbus port of entry in November allegedly trying to smuggle nearly $125,000 worth of marijuana into New Mexico from Mexico has been dismissed without prejudice.

     Kathy Porter Rodriguez, and her passenger, Vernon Martinez, who were both age 49 at the time of their arrests, were facing federal drug smuggling charges in connection with the 156 pounds of marijuana seized from the 1996 Dodge Ram truck they were driving.

     Rodriguez said they had just purchased the truck in Palomas, Mexico, and were driving it back to Santa Fe through the port when they were stopped.

     The marijuana was detected by a “Buster” density meter which showed high readings consistent with hidden contraband. An x-ray of the truck spotted anomalies in several locations, and the 139 marijuana-filled bundles were removed from hidden compartments in the quarter panels and rear wall of the pickup.

     Rodriguez and Martinez both said they had no idea the marijuana was hidden in the vehicle.

     The order dismissing the indictment was signed by U.S. District Judge Joe McDade and filed in U.S. District Court last week.

Body Found in Burned in Car

8/22/2013

(Deming) – Details remain sketchy, but apparently a body was found in a burned car Monday morning off State Road 26 or the Hatch Highway.

     State Police spokesman Sgt. Emmanuel Gutierrez said officers responded to an incident near the five-mile post on the Hatch Highway at about 9:45 Monday morning.

     Gutierrez said a vehicle caught fire while traveling east. At some point the car left the roadway and struck a fence.

     Gutierrez said that after the fire was extinguished by local fire fighters, a deceased body was located in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. Gutierrez said the deceased has yet to be positively identified and cause of death has not been released.

     Initial reports from other motorists indicated that the fire was inside the vehicle and not in the engine area.

     The case has been turned over to the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau for further investigation.