Courts

Neeper: The Complexity Of COVID

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By DON NEEPER
Formerly of Los Alamos

COVID-19 shocked the complex system that is our society. Our collective reactions to COVID might be as dangerous as the virus itself.

Society is one example of what scientists call a complex system—many actors (in this case people and institutions) altering individual moves based on responses of the other actors. Complex systems can have emergent system-wide patterns, like the schooling of fish or the fluctuations of the stock market.

Systems become complex as the number of contacts between actors increases. Within two human generations, the number of Read More

FBI: Woman Gets 33 Months In Prison For Selling Heroin

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Savannah Secatero, 37, of Alamo was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Albuquerque to 33 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Secatero previously pled guilty to this offense Dec. 11, 2019. According to her plea agreement, Secatero admitted receiving weekly shipments of heroin at her home on the Navajo Nation Alamo Reservation from August to December 2017.

Secatero sold the heroin locally.

Dec. 18, 2017, Secatero possessed a handgun, drug ledger, and drug packaging at her residence while waiting Read More

U.S. Citizen Charged With Violating Kingpin Act

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DEA News:

NEW YORK — A complaint was unsealed Monday in the Eastern District of New York charging Bryant Espinoza Aguilar, the stepson of Sinaloa Cartel leader and notorious fugitive Rafael Caro Quintero, with conspiring to commit violations of the Kingpin Act.

The Kingpin Act is an economic sanctions program against narcotics traffickers that is administered and enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of Treasury.

Specifically, Espinoza Aguilar is charged with assisting Caro Quintero and his common law wife by putting their assets in his own name, thereby Read More

RSF: Journalists Face Archaic Sanction Of Death Penalty 

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Nine journalists are sitting on death row today across the globe. Courtesy/RSF

RSF News:

Four Yemeni journalists and an Iranian editor are under sentence death and await execution.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the use of the death penalty, an antiquated form of punishment, to threaten journalists in some parts of the world.

The Yemeni journalists Abdul Khaleq Amran, Akram Al-Walidi, Hareth Humaid and Tawfiq Al-Mansouri were found guilty of espionage by a Houthi court in Sanaa and received the maximum sentence in April this year.

The Iranian government critic Rouhollah Zam, Read More

Hispanic National Bar Association Establishes Special Committee On Law Enforcement Reform And Racial Justice

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HNBA News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) has established a Special Committee on Law Enforcement Reform and Racial Justice in response to the recent deaths and historic racial injustice faced by Black Americans and people of color.

The Special Committee consists of legal experts from law enforcement, the private sector, public service, and higher education.

These 17 Committee members will review existing policies and provide recommendations to the HNBA on reforms to nationwide law enforcement practices as well as advise on other related efforts to expand Read More

Los Alamos Police Blotter: June 23 To June 29, 2020

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LAPD News:

The following information is provided by the Los Alamos Police Department.

Neither arrests nor charges indicate a conviction, and neither means that a person is guilty of the charges filed against them.

 

IVAN ALEXEI APPERT

June 23 at 4:02 a.m. / Police arrested Ivan Alexei Appert, 24, of Los Alamos at 2500 Trinity Dr., and charged him with reckless driving and DUI.

 

 

 

 

DONOVAN PETER BACA

June 24 at 2:58 a.m. / Police arrested Donovan Peter Baca,  25, of Los Alamos at the Española Police Department on an outstanding Magistrate Court warrant and a warrant Read More

Gov. Lujan Grisham Makes Four Judicial Appointments

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From the Office of the Governor:

SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham today appointed four New Mexicans to fill new judicial positions created by the Legislature.

The governor signed legislation in March creating five new state District Court judgeships in the four judicial districts with the highest need. She has yet to fill the fifth new judgeship serving the 12th Judicial District, made up of Lincoln and Otero Counties.

Appointees:

  • Kathleen McGarry Ellenwood to the First Judicial District Court serving Los Alamos, Rio Arriba and Santa Fe counties;
  • Lucy Boyadjian Solimon to the Second
Read More

FBI: Roswell Teen Charged Federally For Online Threats

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FBI News:

Matthew Lee Herbert, 18, of Roswell has been charged federally in connection with online threats that prompted the lockdown of Roswell High School last November.

Herbert is charged with interstate communications containing a threat to injure the person of another (18 U.S. Code § 875).

Herbert is accused of posting a message on Snapchat with what appeared to be a semi-automatic weapon and the caption, “b ready rhs I ain’t playin nomo”.

Another message containing the original post had the caption, “Oof, y’all watch out”.

The high school went into lockdown Nov. 12, 2019, when

Read More

FBI: Mariah Ferry Gets 30 Years On Charges Related To Stealing From And kidnapping And Beating Of Two Men

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ALBUQUERQUE – Mariah Ferry, 22, of Albuquerque was sentenced today in federal court in Santa Fe, to 30 years in prison on charges related to the kidnappings and brutal assaults of two victims suspected of stealing drugs and money from the home of co-defendant Chase Smothermon, 32, of Albuquerque. 

Ferry pleaded guilty Feb. 13 to kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap, resulting in the death of J.S. 

According to Ferry’s plea agreement and other public court records, Smothermon, Ferry and a third co-defendant, Jose Torrez, 48, of Albuquerque, and other co-conspirators took part in a scheme to

Read More

New Mexico State Auditor And Supreme Court Justice Issue Statement On Guardianship And Conservatorship Report

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State Auditor Brian S. Colón

STATE News:

ALBUQUERQUE — State Auditor Brian S. Colón with Supreme Court Justice Shannon Bacon, Thursday, shared the results of the pilot project for review of guardianship and conservatorship cases filed in District Courts.

The report comes as a result of an agreement entered into between the Office of the State Auditor and the Administrative Office of the Courts for audit, review, and compliance of guardians and conservators.

The Office of the State Auditor was engaged to independently identify risk factors and provide recommendations pertaining to guardianship Read More