An inmate at the Lea County Detention Center was found guilty of kidnapping and beating a prison officer to escape from jail. On Friday, Gabriel Rodriguez, 29, of Hobbs, was convicted of kidnapping, a first-degree felony; assault with intent to commit a violent crime on a peace officer, a second-degree felony; and attempt to escape from jail and conspiracy to …

Police officers suspect two thirteen-year-old juveniles of burglarizing 22 vehicles in a neighborhood before they were arrested. According to the HPD criminal complaint, two 13-year-old juveniles were arrested after a homeowner’s surveillance video caught them breaking into vehicles, including break-ins along West Coal, North Vista, North Jade, West Iron and North Cielo Streets. The report states on Sept. 5 officers …

After taking a plea deal for charges of criminal sexual contact in July, Ruben Sanchez was arrested again Tuesday for similar charges. Sanchez, 39, of Tuscon, Ariz., was arrested Tuesday and charged with criminal sexual contact of a minor, a second-degree felony; and four counts of criminal sexual contact, all third-degree felonies, according to court records. In a previous case, …

Attorneys representing the Lea County Sheriff’s Office and Lea County Sheriff Corey Helton fired back at the writ of mandamus petition filed by New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas at the end of July. The AG filed the court action hoping to compel the sheriff and deputies to enforce the “Public Health Emergency Orders” created by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. …

Below is the link to the petition document filed in the N.M. Supreme Court from the N.M. Attorney General. For the full story, see Thursday’s News-Sun. The AG is taking the Lea County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Corey Helton to court to force the department to enforce the governor’s health orders concerning COVID-19. The filing points out sheriff deputies posted …

On any given day a police officer will have to make many split-second decisions. Those decisions can be the difference in life or death. The Lea County Sheriff Office now has a visual way to re-live events law enforcement officers all over the county had to make in a split decision on, or a possible new scenario they again will …

While allegedly trying to burglarize vehicles, four teenagers were caught by police after evading arrest. A 15-year-old male runaway, a 13-year-old male runaway and a 13-year-old male juvenile were all arrested on June 21 and charged with accessory and burglary, both fourth-degree felonies; and resisting, evading, obstructing an officer, a petty misdemeanor. A 15-year-old male juvenile was also arrested on …

After allegedly beating a woman and stealing her purse, Ricardo Utajara was arrested and charged with robbery. Utajara, 30, of Lovington, was arrested on Tuesday after the victim was sent to Nor Lea Hospital in Lovington for injuries she sustained during the assault. A Lea County Sheriff’s criminal complaint states the victim was driving home early in the morning on …

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected President Donald Trump’s effort to end legal protections for 650,000 immigrants, his second election-season loss from the court in a week after Monday’s ruling that it’s illegal to fire people because they’re gay or transgender. For now, the young immigrants retain their protection from deportation and their authorization to work in …

Raul Juarez, 34, of Lovington was arrested for shoplifting and was found to have a warrant for stealing more than $17,000 worth of electric motors from a repair shop. Juarez was arrested on June 6 and charged with larceny over $2,500, a third-degree felony; possession of a controlled substance, a fourth-degree felony; shoplifting, a misdemeanor; and possession of marijuana, a …