Courts

Attorney General Hector Balderas Announces Safe Discovery Of Two Missing Indigenous Persons

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Attorney General Hector Balderas

AG News:

ALBUQUERQUE—New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas announced today that two missing Indigenous persons were found safe in Albuquerque. 

Tuesday, Nov. 29, the Bureau of Indian Affairs asked the Attorney General’s Missing & Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Task Force to assist in locating a 15-year-old female who was reported missing by her uncle, and legal guardian, from the Socorro area.

Agents were able to identify the male person the 15-year-old was with and located the male person and the 15-year-old in Albuquerque. Agents ensured Read More

Attorney General Balderas Announces $58.5 Million Opioid Settlement With Smith’s Food & Drug Parent, The Kroger Co.

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Attorney General Hector Balderas

From the Office of the Attorney General:

SANTA FE — New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas announced today that his office has resolved the opioid litigation against grocery and retail pharmacy giant Kroger Co., in a deal that will deliver nearly $60 million to the State and to local communities to fund opioid abatement efforts within the next 90 days. 

“We achieved a great result for New Mexico by taking Kroger to court, and this settlement sends a clear message that pharmacies operating in New Mexico must take an active role in protecting the communities Read More

FBI: Man From Las Cruces Pleads Guilty To Carjacking Resulting In Serious Bodily Injury

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jesus Manuel Castaneda-Villa pleaded guilty Nov. 29 to carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury. Castaneda-Villa, 32, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.

According to the plea agreement and other court records, Dec. 3, 2021, the victim allegedly met with Castaneda-Villa, her ex-boyfriend, in a La Quinta hotel in Las Cruces. After the two began to argue, Castaneda-Villa threw a toolbox at the victim. He Read More

New Mexico State Police Arrest Santa Fe County Man And La Cienega Woman For Possession Of Fentanyl

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Mario Muniz

NMSP News:

SANTA FE COUNTY – At about 10:37 p.m., Wednesday Nov. 23, 2022, a New Mexico State Police (NMSP) officer on patrol attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a 2005 Dodge Neon passenger car for driving recklessly on Interstate 25 northbound near milepost 280 in Santa Fe.

The driver of the Dodge continued to travel north on Interstate 25 and refused to stop, and a pursuit was initiated.

During the pursuit, the vehicle exited off Interstate 25 at the St. Francis Drive exit and drove through Santa Fe. As another NMSP officer arrived to assist with the pursuit, the driver of the vehicle Read More

New Mexico Governor’s Office Accepting Applications For Second Judicial District Attorney

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From the Office of the Governor:

SANTA FE — The Office of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Wednesday announced that it is accepting applications to fill the upcoming vacancy for the Second Judicial District Attorney.

Minimum qualifications include a Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited school of law and seven years of experience in the practice of law. Candidates shall have been a resident of New Mexico for three years prior to their election and shall be a resident of the district.

The application form may be downloaded from the Office of the Governor website here.

Applications may be sent Read More

FBI: Shiprock Man Charged With Assault With Dangerous Weapon

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Deon Joe Bidtah was arraigned Nov. 10 on a three-count indictment charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault on a federal officer with a deadly and dangerous weapon.

Bidtah, 23, of Shiprock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.

A federal grand Read More

FBI: Anthony Man Indicted For Kidnapping

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced Nov. 10 that a federal grand jury indicted Jeffrey Steven Clay on one count each of kidnapping and transportation for illegal sexual activity.

Clay, 50, of Anthony, New Mexico, was arrested Nov. 10 and will remain in custody pending his initial appearance and detention hearing.

Clay is employed as the Executive Director of Analytics, Strategy, and Assessment and Public Education Information Management Read More

New Mexico Secretary Of State And AG Issue Statement On Potential Disruptions To County-Level Election Certification Process

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Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver 

STATE News:

SANTA FE — Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver and Attorney General Hector Balderas issued the following joint statement today to warn the public about the potential for disruptions to the election certification process during county commission meetings this week:

“This week, New Mexico’s County Commissions are playing their vital role in the administration of our elections by performing their legal duties as the county canvassing boards in their respective counties. The “canvass” is the process of reconciling and confirming Read More

Courts: New Helpline Offers Civil Legal Assistance To New Mexicans Of Modest Means

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COURT News:

SANTA FE — A newly launched telephone service offers free legal assistance on civil matters to moderate income New Mexicans.

The Modest Means Helpline is the collaborative effort of the New Mexico Access to Justice Commission, the Administrative Office of the Courts and the State Bar of New Mexico and the State Bar Foundation. 

The Helpline operates 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and can be reached at 505.797.6013 or 888.856.9935.

Two staff attorneys provide legal advice over the telephone and when more extensive legal assistance is required the Helpline can refer people Read More

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas Announces Historic Google Settlement Over Location Tracking Practices

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Attorney General Hector Balderas

From the Office of the Attorney General:

ALBUQUERQUE – New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas today announced that New Mexico, along with 39 other attorneys general, has reached a $391.5 million multistate settlement with Google over its location tracking practices relating to Google Account settings.

This is the largest multistate Attorney General privacy settlement in the history of the U.S. New Mexico will receive $5,273,494 from the settlement.

“New Mexicans deserve to move about their lives without companies like Google tracking their whereabouts—without Read More