Courts

Second Judicial District Court Operations In Albuquerque Changing Due To Security Staff Cutbacks

by

COURT News:

ALBUQUERQUE — In response to reduced security staffing, the Second Judicial District Court will change its operations on Monday to limit the number of people entering the county courthouse in downtown Albuquerque and two other court locations.

The state Supreme Court ordered the operational changes at the district court.

“The safety and well-being of people required to go to court cannot be compromised,” Supreme Court Chief Justice David K. Thomson said.

“We must take these precautionary steps while the district court works with Bernalillo County and its sheriff’s office to Read More

FBI: $4.9 Million Secured For Ayudando Guardians Fraud Scheme Victims Through Settlement, Asset Forfeiture

by

FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced Friday the recovery of $4.9 million for victims of the Ayudando Guardians fraud scheme. The U.S. Department of Justice has retained a third-party administrator to assist with disbursing the funds to victims of the decade-long embezzlement scheme that exploited vulnerable individuals under guardianship.

The U.S. Marshals Service demanded coverage from Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America (Travelers) under a “Wrap + Crime” policy for the losses sustained due to the criminal acts of Read More

FBI: Shiprock Man Gets 48 Months For Violent Knife Attack

by

FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — A Shiprock man was sentenced to 48 months in prison for attacking his ex-girlfriend with a knife, causing serious injuries.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court records, on Nov. 2, 2024, Jane Doe, and her sister were stopped at a road construction zone when her ex-boyfriend, Tyrell Lee Johnson, 29, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, approached their vehicle. Johnson physically attacked Jane Doe, striking her head, stabbing her abdomen with a knife, and striking her with his vehicle as he fled the scene. Jane Doe sustained injuries, including Read More

NMSP Arrest Homicide Suspect In Ranchos De Taos

by

NMSP News:

RANCHO DE TAOS – New Mexico State Police (NMSP) Investigations Bureau was called on July 16, 2025, to investigate a homicide at 236 Espinoza Road in Ranchos De Taos.

Agents learned that at approximately 2:20 p.m., the Taos County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to 236 Espinoza Road for a shots-fired call. Upon arrival, deputies observed the victim, Antonio Gomez, 45, lying on the ground, unresponsive, outside the residence with at least one apparent gunshot wound. A female was also on scene and sustained what appeared to be a gunshot wound to her arm.
Officers began life-saving measures
Read More

McQuiston: What Exactly Is Road Rage?

by

By ALLEN MCQUISTON
Jemez Insurance Agency
Serving Los Alamos Since 1963

Road rage isn’t just getting mad behind the wheel. It refers to aggressive driving that escalates into intentional actions — brake-checking, tailgating, shouting, blocking other cars, or even causing a collision on purpose.

When things go from annoying to aggressive, insurance companies treat it very differently than a typical fender bender.

How Road Rage Impacts Your Insurance

Here’s where it gets serious:

If you’re found to have intentionally caused an accident — even in a heated moment — your insurance may not Read More

Supreme Court Permits State Worker’s Whistleblower Lawsuit To Move Forward

by

COURT News:

SANTA FE — A state employee can proceed with a whistleblower protection lawsuit against his governmental employer after deciding to arbitrate a job demotion allegedly in retaliation for his testifying about wrongdoing by state agency workers, the state Supreme Court ruled today.

The Court unanimously concluded that a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) did not preclude Frederick Garcia, who worked for what was formerly called the state Human Services Department, from separately filing a lawsuit under the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA). The lawsuit stems from the Read More

New Mexico Supreme Court Invalidates Murder Conviction In 2018 Shooting Death, Clarifies Burglary Law

by

COURT News:

SANTA FE — The New Mexico state Supreme Court has vacated the felony murder and aggravated burglary convictions of a man for fatally shooting a Santa Fe homeowner in his backyard in 2018.

In a split decision, the Court concluded that a portal – a covered porch or patio attached to a home – is not a structure that could be burglarized under New Mexico law. As a result, there was no underlying felony to elevate the homicide to a charge of felony murder.

The Court made clear that constitutional protections against double jeopardy do not preclude retrying Joseph Matthew Gregory Jones because Read More

New Mexico Supreme Court Affirms Decision That Vacated Former Tax & Rev Secretary’s Embezzlement Convictions

by

NMSC News:

SANTA FE — New Mexico’s highest court ruled Tuesday that former state Taxation and Revenue Secretary Demesia Padilla’s convictions for embezzlement were properly vacated because she was charged too long after the alleged crimes occurred.

The New Mexico Supreme Court (NMSC) unanimously rejected arguments by prosecutors for the State of New Mexico who sought to reinstate Padilla’s convictions. The justices affirmed a decision of the Court of Appeals, which set aside her convictions on two second-degree felony counts of embezzlement. 

In an opinion by Chief Justice David K. Thomson, Read More

FBI: Dropout Of White Supremacist Gang Gets 11 Years In Prison For Drug & Firearms Trafficking In Albuquerque

by

James Casady Cangro selfie displaying tattoos. Courtesy/FBI

FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE – A key figure in a Sinaloa Cartel-linked drug and firearms trafficking ring tied to white supremacist gangs was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his role in distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and illegal firearms in Albuquerque.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court records, an 18-month FBI investigation initiated in 2021 targeted a drug trafficking and firearms conspiracy linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and racially motivated violent extremist groups in Albuquerque, New Read More

New Mexico Supreme Court Resolves Dispute Over Good Time Credits For Prisoners Earning Educational Degrees

by

New Mexico Supreme Court. Courtesy photo

COURT News:

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Supreme Court today upheld a New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD) rule that prohibits prison inmates from receiving more than one lump sum award of good time credits for earning multiple educational degrees of the same level.

In a split decision, the Court concluded that the department’s rule “is not arbitrary and irrational but is reasonably related to the legitimate penological interests” of the Earned Meritorious Deduction Act (EMDA). The state law authorizes the department to award credits against Read More