Public Safety

Farmington Man Charged In Federal Firearms Case Following Undercover Operation

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — A Farmington man has been charged in federal court after allegedly selling multiple firearms and ammunition to an undercover law enforcement officer.

According to court documents, Sept. 14, 2025, Pete Kimbell, 41, allegedly spoke to an undercover officer with the New Mexico Region II Narcotics Task Force using coded language and stated that he had multiple firearms for sale. The undercover officer arranged to meet Kimbell the following day to view and purchase the firearms.

Sept. 15, 2025, the undercover officer met Kimbell at a residence in Kirtland while surveillance Read More

Law Day Celebrates Rule Of Law & Role In American Dream

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Chief Justice Julie J. Vargas. Courtesy/NMSC

COURT News:

SANTA FE – In a proclamation celebrating Law Day on Friday, Supreme Court Chief Justice Julie J. Vargas encourages New Mexicans “to reflect on the essential role the rule of law plays in securing the promise of the American Dream.”

“As proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence, all individuals are endowed with certain unalienable rights and chief among them are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The rule of law gives these ideals practical meaning by ensuring that laws are fair, publicized, and evenly enforced, and that Read More

Final Updates On Sparks And Crow Creek Fires

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NMFD News:

The New Mexico Forestry Division (NMFD) would like to update you on two fires that are requiring the attention and state, county and local resources in New Mexico. This will be the final notification on these fires unless significant changes occur

Sparks Fire, Quay County: April 30, 2026

Update: April 29, fire activity picked up as temperatures warmed, producing wind-driven runs and active torching. Crews continued to extinguish heat and establish fireline around the fire’s perimeter. A Type 1 helicopter provided water and retardant drops to slow fire progression.  

April 30, Read More

LAPD Warns Of More Phone Scams

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LAPD News:

The Los Alamos Police Department (LAPD) is warning residents about a recent phone scam in which callers impersonate officers from the Los Alamos Police Department and Deputies from the Los Alamos Sheriff’s Department, falsely claiming that individuals must pay money to clear arrest warrants.

LAPD reminds the community that no law enforcement agency or court will ever contact individuals demanding payment to resolve fines or warrants. If you receive such a call, it is fraudulent.

These types of scams have been increasing in Los Alamos this year, with criminals using various Read More

Catch Of The Week: Prove You’re Human (While Getting Hacked)

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By REBECCA RUTHERFORD
Los Alamos
For the Los Alamos Daily Post

You know that annoying “I’m not a robot” checkbox you click seventeen times a day without thinking? Turns out, that automatic, muscle memory click is exactly what cybercriminals are counting on. Yikes!

A nasty scam called FakeCaptcha has been making the rounds, and it is disturbingly simple.

You land on a compromised website, a CAPTCHA pops up, you click “I’m not a robot” and without knowing it, a PowerShell script gets copied to your clipboard. The fake verification then walks you through three steps: press Win + R to open the Run dialog, Read More

Wildfire Notification: Crow Creek Fire, Colfax County

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Crow Creek Fire, Wednesday, April 29. Courtesy/NMFD

NMFD News:

Update: The Crow Creek Fire was discovered at 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29 near HWY 445 north of Maxwell in Colfax County. Resources are on scene and are implementing a full suppression strategy. The fire is active and making wind-driven runs north through grass fuels toward HWY 64. Structures are threatened, and resources are providing point protection. Air resources have been ordered to assist suppression efforts. Currently, the fire is estimated at 50-100 acres. 

Acres: 50-100 estimated. 

Containment: 0% contained.       Read More

Statewide Car Seat Clinics For Heatstroke Prevention Day ‘Stop. Look. Lock.’

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NMDOT News:

SANTA FE – Free statewide car seat clinics will be held on Friday, May 1 as part of National Heatstroke Prevention Day to raise awareness about preventing child hot-car deaths, check for proper car seat installation, and provide practical tips to help prevent heat-related incidents.

In New Mexico, 12 children have died from pediatric vehicular heatstroke since 1998, including a death in May 2025. Vehicular heatstroke remains the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children 14 and younger nationwide with 1,043 deaths since 1998.

The New Mexico Department Read More

FBI: Albuquerque Man Charged With Drug Trafficking And Firearms Offenses

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — An Albuquerque man has been charged with federal drug trafficking and firearms offenses after allegedly supplying nearly five pounds of methamphetamine to undercover officers and later being found in possession of fentanyl, firearms, and ammunition.

According to court documents, March 26, 2026, Lucas Maldonado, 44, allegedly supplied almost five pounds of methamphetamine to undercover officers from the Albuquerque Police Department. The transaction took place in a parking lot of a business in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Maldonado arrived in a pickup truck Read More

Wildfire Alert: Sparks Fire Quay County

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NMFD News:

Update: The Sparks Fire was discovered at 3:20 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28 near HWY 156 in Quay County. Resources are on scene and attempting direct engagement using a full suppression strategy. The active fire is running, spotting and wind-driven, moving west to east through grass and piñon-juniper fuels. The area is remote and cell service is not readily available. Structures are threatened, and additional resources are arriving to engage. Currently, the fire is estimated at 1,500 acres. 

Acres: 1,500 estimated. 

Containment: 0% contained.      

Start Date / Time: 3.20 p.m., Read More

FBI: Authorities Complete Largest Racketeering Prosecution In District History Against Syndicato De Nuevo Mexico

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Cash, drugs and firearms seized on September 1, 2022. Courtesy/FBI

FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced today the conclusion of the federal prosecution of the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico (SNM) prison gang following the conclusion of recent sentencing hearings. Spanning over a decade, the investigation and subsequent litigation resulted in state and federal charges against 178 members and associates.

Originating in the New Mexico state prison system following the 1980 prison riot, SNM functioned as a violent racketeering Read More