Courts

Byron Henderson To Spend Four Years In Prison

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By MAIRE O’NEILL

Los Alamos Daily Post

maire@ladailypost.com

 

Byron Henderson, arrested last March during Los Alamos Police Department’s Operation Spring Cleaning, will serve a four-year prison sentence on two drug-related charges following his sentencing by Chief Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer Jan. 4 in First Judicial Court.

The first count, possession of a controlled substance – methamphetamine was reduced from a trafficking charge. Henderson was sentenced to 18 months on that charge and was handed a nine-year sentence on one count of trafficking with five years suspended. Read More

Judge Binds Sachin Pandey Over To District Court

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By MAIRE O’NEILL

Los Alamos Daily Post

maire@ladailypost.com

 

Sachin Pandey, 31, of Los Alamos has been bound over to First Judicial Court on charges of aggravated battery, false imprisonment and attempt to commit a felony – sexual assault following a lengthy preliminary hearing Friday in Los Alamos Magistrate Court.

The charges are connected to an incident in the early hours of Sept. 24 at Camp May, which ended with the victim receiving stitches in her forehead at Los Alamos Medical Center. Judge Pat Casados said she went over everything that was presented to her and found probable cause Read More

Reporters Without Borders: Chinese Court Sentences Anti-Corruption Blogger Wu Gan To 8 Years In Prison

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A Chinese court sentences anti-corruption blogger Wu Gan to eight years in prison. Courtesy photo
 
Anti-corruption blogger Wu Gan
 
RSF News:
 
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is appalled by the eight-year prison sentence that a Chinese court has imposed on Wu Gan, a blogger who campaigned tirelessly against government corruption until his arrest in 2015.
 
A court in the northern city of Tianjin passed the sentence Dec. 26 after convicting Wu of “subverting state power” at the end of a trial held behind closed doors. 44, Wu, 44, had used the blog name of “Super
Read More

Federal Judge Imposes Sanctions On Attorney In Dismissed Lawsuit Challenging Bail Reform

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U.S. District Judge Robert A. Junell

From Administrative Office of the Courts:

SANTA FE – A federal court has imposed sanctions on an attorney for making what the judge described as “groundless” and “frivolous” claims in a lawsuit that challenged New Mexico’s system of pretrial release and detention of criminal defendants.

U.S. District Judge Robert A. Junell dismissed the lawsuit last month, and Thursday ordered sanctions against the attorney representing those who brought the lawsuit – the Bail Bond Association of New Mexico, several legislators and an Albuquerque woman who was charged Read More

Los Alamos Magistrate Court Releases Warrant List

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COURT News:

Judge Pat Casados has released a list of warrants active as of noon, Jan. 2 from Los Alamos Magistrate Court.

“We are cleaning house and want to get these warrants cleared up if possible,” Judge Casados said. “We plan to post our outstanding warrants on a monthly basis and hope those on the list will be prompted to take the necessary steps to resolve them.”

Judge Casados stressed that no amnesty program is in effect for the warrants.

Any defendant who needs more information is encouraged to contact the Court at 505.662.2727 or the New Mexico Warrant Hotline, 575.524.5860 or 505.896.9494 Read More

Former Jail Officer/Sheriff’s Deputy Dustin Bingham Sentenced For Criminal Sexual Contact With Minors

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Dustin Bingham and his attorney Stephen D. Aarons Wednesday morning in First Judicial  District Court in Santa Fe. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com

District Attorney Marco Serna, right, Deputy District Attorney Michael Nunez and Defense Attorney Stephen D. Aarons consult with Chief Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer in court Wednesday as bailiff Steve Bing looks on. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com

 

By MAIRE O’NEILL

Los Alamos Daily Post

maire@ladailypost.com

 

SANTA FE – Former Los Alamos County detention officer and Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputy Read More

FEMA To Stop Discriminating Against Churches, Synagogues Hit By Hurricanes

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BECKET News:
 
  • Supreme Court decision requires equal treatment for houses of worship hit by hurricanes
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― FEMA announced a new policy today that ought to put an end to its discrimination against churches, synagogues, and other houses of worship. The new policy comes in response to two lawsuits brought by three Texas churches and two Florida synagogues seeking immediate and equal access to disaster relief aid.
 
FEMA says that the new policy is required by the Supreme Court’s June 2017 decision in Trinity
Read More

Los Alamos Police Blotter: Dec. 27, 2017-Jan. 2, 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 against them.

AARON B. KOETTER

Dec. 27 at 4:42 p.m. /Police arrested Aaron B. Koetter, 41, of Los Alamos at the Pajarito Brew Pub on an outstanding Municipal Court warrant.

 

 

 

ANTHONY RAYMOND MARTINEZ

Dec. 28 at 9:35 a.m. / Police arrested Anthony Raymond Martinez, 32, of Los Alamos in Apt. 3 at 1203 9th St., on an outstanding Magistrate Court warrant for a charge of reckless driving.

  Read More

Amy Woods Arrested For Embezzlement From Council On Cancer

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Amy Woods

 

By MAIRE O’NEILL

Los Alamos Daily Post

maire@ladailypost.com

Amy Woods of Los Alamos has been arrested and charged with embezzlement of $3,500 from the Los Alamos Council on Cancer. Woods was president of the Council when the theft occurred.

The theft was reported to LAPD when treasurer Elida Summers was checking the balances of the non-profit organization’s accounts for year-end summaries. Summers and vice president Diane Hammon told LAPD Det. Ryan Wolking Dec. 29 that seven ATM withdrawals of $500 were made daily from Dec. 15 through Dec. 21 from Los Alamos National Bank Read More

Auto Burglar Skylar Smith Back In Court

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Skylar B. Smith
 
By MAIRE O’NEILL
Los Alamos Daily Post
maire@ladailypost.com

Skylar B. Smith, 25, arrested in Los Alamos in 2012 on 20 counts of automobile burglary and 16 counts of larceny, is scheduled for a probation violation hearing Thursday before First Judicial District Chief Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer.

Adult Parole and Probation officials have stated that Smith is “clearly not suitable for supervision”.

“He is so involved in criminal activity it almost appears as if he goes out of his way to get himself arrested on felony charges,” officials said following Smith’s latest Read More