Courts

New Mexico Judiciary Changing Mask Requirements, Other COVID-Safe Protocols At Courthouses Starting March 21  

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The New Mexico Supreme Court. Post file photo

Administrative Office of the Courts News:

SANTA FE – Members of the public may enter a New Mexico courthouse or judicial building without a mask or protective face covering starting March 21. However, masks will continue to be required for any person inside a courtroom or jury assembly area.

In recognition of changes in the COVID-19 pandemic, the state Supreme Court today announced updated public health precautionary procedures and practices for New Mexico courts — appellate, district, metropolitan, magistrate, municipal and probate courts. Read More

Attempted First Degree Murder And Child Abuse Charges Filed Against Hobbs High School Student Alexis Avila Have Been Bound-over To District Court 

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From the Office of the Attorney General:

ALBUQUERQUE – Today, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas and District Attorney Dianna Luce announced that Alexis Avila has been bound-over on the crimes of attempted first degree murder and child abuse resulting in great bodily harm.

Judge William Shoobridge held that the evidence presented provided probable cause to believe that the crimes were committed. Avila, a Hobbs High School student, is accused of placing her newborn child in multiple plastic bags filled with trash before throwing him into a dumpster in freezing conditions behind Read More

US Department Of Labor Recovers Wages For Albuquerque Supermarket Workers Repeatedly Denied Overtime

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U.S. Department of Labor News:

…Naranjero Super 1 also illegally allowed minors to use meat saw and meat slicer

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced that it recovered wages for Albuquerque supermarket workers repeatedly denied overtime.

  • Employer name: Heavenly Victory LLC, doing business as Naranjero Super 1
  • Investigation site: Albuquerque
  • Investigation findings: Fair Labor Standards Act overtime violations found when the employer paid employees a fixed salary for all hours worked instead of time and one-half the hourly employees’ rate of pay. The U.S. Department of Labor’s
Read More

U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján Issues Statement On Nomination Of Ketanji Brown Jackson To Supreme Court

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U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement on President Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court:

“Judge Kentanji Brown Jackson’s credentials and approach to the rule of law make her a strong nominee to serve on the United States Supreme Court. I commend President Biden for fulfilling his commitment to nominate the first Black woman to the Supreme Court – a long-overdue step that will ensure the Court better reflects the American people. As a former public defender, Judge Read More

FBI: California Man Facing Up To 20 Years In Federal Prison For Interfering With A Flight Crew

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Samson Hardridge, 33, of Lancaster, Calif., made an initial appearance Feb. 23 in federal court in Albuquerque facing a charge of interference with flight crew members and attendants. Hardridge remains in custody pending a detention hearing.

According to a criminal complaint, Feb. 18, Hardridge was a passenger on Southwest Flight 474 from Dallas to Burbank.

After takeoff, Hardridge allegedly left his seat to use the lavatory at the back of the plane. A flight attendant asked Hardridge to stand in the aisle of the aircraft since the galley was too small. Hardridge allegedly Read More

Biden Nominates Ketanji Brown Jackson To Supreme Court

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Ketanji Brown Jackson

Supreme Court News:

President Joe Biden has selected Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee to succeed retiring United States Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

Jackson, 51, is an attorney and jurist serving as a circuit judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

From 2013 to 2021, she was a district judge on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Jackson also was vice chair of the United States Sentencing Commission from 2010 to 2014. Since 2016 she has been a member of the Harvard Board of Overseers.

Born Read More

AG Balderas Announces Former Taos DA Investigator Sentenced To One Year For Distributing Child Abuse Material

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Attorney General Hector Balderas

AG News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Tomas Trujillo, a former Taos District Attorney Investigator, was sentenced by Judge Glenn Ellington Friday to serve one year in jail.

Trujillo pled to one count of sexual exploitation of children by distribution and faced up to 11 years in prison. Trujillo was formerly an affiliate of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which trained him to investigate the very crime of which he was convicted.

“It is disheartening to believe that an individual who was trained to protect children would choose instead to exploit Read More

AG Secures Convictions Of Former West Las Vegas Middle School Security Guard Accused Of Crimes Against Student

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Attorney General Hector Balderas

AG News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Monday, Attorney General Hector Balderas secures convictions of former Las Vegas security guard, Abran Ulibarri, pled guilty to six crimes related to sexual offenses against a Las Vegas middle school student.

Ulibarri pled guilty to criminal sexual penetration of a minor, three counts of false imprisonment, criminal solicitation to commit tampering with evidence, and bribery of a witness.

Ulibarri used his position of authority to sexually assault a 14-year-old middle school student on campus during school hours several times Read More

Summary Judgment And Dismissal With Prejudice In Favor Of Defendants In Eighth Judicial District Court In Taos

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NMC News:

SANTA FE — Judge Jeffrey Shannon of the Eighth Judicial District Court in Taos entered an order granting judgment Tuesday to Taos County and Sheriff Hogrefe, Undersheriff Miera, and three deputies in a lawsuit filed by former Taos County Detention Center Officer Phillip Ortiz.

Ortiz had worked at the detention center for over seven years when Sheriff’s deputies arrested him June 26, 2018, pursuant to an arrest warrant obtained at the conclusion of their investigation, and charged him with multiple felony counts, including trafficking heroin and methamphetamine and bringing Read More

FBI: Albuquerque Man Arraigned On Federal Firearms Charge … Faces Up To 10 Years In Prison If Convicted

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE – Shane Alderete, 46, of Albuquerque, was arraigned in federal court today on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Alderete will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.

A federal grand jury indicted Alderete on Feb. 8. According to the indictment and other court records, on Dec. 2, 2021, a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputy, who is an officer for the FBI’s Albuquerque Violent Crime Gang Task Force, performed a traffic stop on Alderete’s vehicle. After the deputy activated the lights on his marked patrol vehicle, Alderete Read More