Courts

Brenners And County File Briefs In Federal Lawsuit

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By MAIRE O’NEILL
Los Alamos Daily Post

Two more briefs have been entered in a federal lawsuit filed in May by former Los Alamos resident Patrick Brenner and his mother, Los Alamos resident Lisa Brenner, alleging retaliation and harassment including malicious prosecution and defamation by the Los Alamos County Council, Los Alamos Police Chief Dino Sgambellone and two unnamed police officers.

Also named in the suit are Councilor Susan O’Leary and former Councilor James Chrobocinski in both their official and individual capacities.

The lawsuit filed by attorneys

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Los Alamos Police Blotter: July 5 to July 16, 2018

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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.

WAYNE HEBERT

July 5 at 7:01 p.m. / Police arrested Wayne Hebert, 27, of Santa Fe at 2500 Trinity Drive on an outstanding Magistrate Court warrant and a warrant from another jurisdiction. Note: Police booking photo is unavailable.

SHELBY M. KOKALIS

July 5 at 11:16 p.m. / Police arrested Shelby M. Kokalis, 24, of White Rock at 91 Mesa Verde on an outstanding Municipal Court warrant. Note: Read More

AG Balderas Fights to Return Unlawfully Transferred Land In Rio Arriba County To Land Grant Heirs

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Attorney General Hector Balderas

From the Office of the Attorney General:

ALBUQUERQUE – Today, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced his office’s plan to fight for the rights of the Land Grant, Merced de Los Pueblos de Tierra Amarilla.

In 2003, an unlawful transfer of title of property belonging to Merced de Los Pueblos de Tierra Amarilla was made to Al Frente de Lucha, a Colorado corporation. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Land Grant Division of the Office of the Attorney General filed a complaint today, arguing that the court should declare the deed as void, and that the land in Rio Arriba Read More

DEA-Led Probe Leads To Second Honduran Congressman Charged With Drug Trafficking And Weapons Crimes

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DEA News:
 
NEW YORK ― DEA and the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday that charges have been filed in New York federal court against Honduran congressman Midence Oqueli Martinez Turcios, and in a separate indictment, Arnaldo Urbina Soto, Carlos Fernando Urbina Soto and Miguel Angel Urbina Soto.
 
The charges in each indictment include conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and related weapons offenses involving the use and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. The United States is seeking the defendants’ extraditions from Honduras.
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Los Alamos Woman Cited In Dog Bite Incident

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By MAIRE O’NEILL
Los Alamos Daily Post

Los Alamos dog owner Janet Sprake has been cited in Los Alamos Municipal Court for having a dog at large and menacing behavior by her dog following an incident early Sunday morning in which a summer student was bitten by an unleashed dog while running in Bayo Canyon.

The Los Alamos Police Records Division is not releasing the victim’s name because the case is still active, however he is reportedly undergoing medical treatment.The incident occurred approximately half a mile east of the Diamond Drive traffic circle trailhead.

According Read More

New Mexico Supreme Court: Guardianship System Changes Protect Vulnerable Citizens

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NMSC News:
 
ALBUQUERQUE ― Court-appointed guardians and conservators are subject to audits and more extensive reporting requirements under a new state law to help protect vulnerable New Mexicans no longer able to make decisions about their finances and personal affairs.
 
Friday, Supreme Court Chief Justice Judith K. Nakamura, State Auditor Wayne Johnson, Sen. James White and Rep. Damon Ely along with Second Judicial District Judges Shannon Bacon and Nancy Franchini highlighted changes in state law and court rules for the adult guardianship system. Newly enacted legislation
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Court Of Appeals Upholds Suppression Of Evidence In Local Child Exploitation Case

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By MAIRE O’NEILL
Los Alamos Daily Post

The Court of Appeals of the State of New Mexico has affirmed a May 18 decision by First Judicial District Judge T. Glenn Ellington to suppress evidence found on a computer belonging to Scott Mallory of White Rock.

Judge Ellington ruled that Mallory’s spousal privilege was violated and information on his computer and any statements made by Mallory to police were to be suppressed.

Mallory was arrested by Los Alamos police in January 2016 and charged with sexual exploitation of children under 18 years – visual media, after forensic searches Read More

Judge Grants Los Alamos County Permanent Injunction Restraining Sheriff From Performing Law Enforcement Duties

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First Judicial District Judge Francis Mathew has issued his ruling in two lawsuits between Los Alamos County Sheriff Marco Lucero and Los Alamos County Council concerning the duties of the Office of the Sheriff. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com

 
By MAIRE O’NEILL
Los Alamos Daily Post

The long-awaited ruling by First Judicial District Judge Francis Mathew on the duties of the Los Alamos County Sheriff has been issued and it looks like the Sheriff’s duties will remain the same as they have been since 1976.

Under the terms of the judgment, Judge Read More

NMED Accepting Applications For Volkswagen Mitigation Trust Funding

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NMED News:
 
SANTA FE ― The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) will accept applications for projects relating to the Volkswagen Settlement Agreement July 2 and Sept. 14.
 
Qualifying projects must demonstrate a reduction in NOx, and meet the criteria outlined in the Settlement Agreement. The Settlement Agreement allows NMED to approve funding for up to one-third of the State’s initial allocation in the first year.
 
There will be at least two additional opportunities to submit applications for funding future projects. These opportunities will be available in 2019
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Black Hole Trust Donates Office Trailers To Charity

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Two office trailers at the Black Hole in violation of a zoning provision have been donated to charity and will be removed soon from the property on Arkansas Avenue. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com

COURT News:

Two office trailers on the Black Hole property at 4015 Arkansas Ave., owned by the Grothus Living Trust have been donated to charitable entities outside the County and are expected to be moved off the property as soon as permitting can be obtained.

Barbara Grothus, daughter of former Black Hole owner Ed Grothus, appeared Monday before Municipal Read More