Latest news with #BernalilloCountySheriff'sOffice
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
'Operation Route 66' nets 700 arrests; no timetable given for end of operation
May 19—A multi-agency operation dedicated to cracking down on crime in the International District led to 700 arrests in three months, including a man who was arrested five times. In February, the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office, New Mexico State Police, Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office and New Mexico Corrections Department's Probation and Parole Division partnered up for "Operation Route 66" to arrest and prosecute people committing crime in the International District. As of Monday, the operation has netted 700 arrests over 12 weeks, recovering dozens of guns and stolen vehicles. About 100 law enforcement officers have been working weekly during the operation, according to the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office. "(The 700) is a staggering number and it shows how much this neighborhood deserved this operation," Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said during a news conference Monday. "It's unfair to the people that live here (...) to put up with this crap out on the streets. And what we're trying all to do in law enforcement is bring back not only a sense of safety, but actual safety for the neighborhood." Of the 700 arrests, Michael Farfan was arrested five times on warrants and new crimes related to vehicle theft, burglary and criminal damage to property, 2nd Judicial District Court spokesperson Nancy Laflin said. "This operation continues to highlight a deeper issue facing communities across New Mexico: high rates of recidivism," BCSO spokesperson Deanna Aragon said in a news release. "A significant number of those arrested during Operation Route 66 are repeat offenders who continue to cycle through the criminal justice system." Of the hundreds of people arrested, 505 had warrants, including seven homicide suspects like Deomtray Davis, who was wanted for an open count of murder, Bregman said. The operation is three months old, but it will continue for the foreseeable future. Officials did not give a timeline. The strategy includes moving to other parts of the city to track people down. "We also are following every single one of those cases and doing everything we can to hold those people accountable and get justice," Bregman said. NMCD Cabinet Corrections Secretary Alisha Tafoya Lucero said probation and parole officers are working with law enforcement and prosecutors to target the most dangerous offenders and connect people who are struggling with addiction to get the services they need the most. Along with reducing crime in the International District, a goal of "Operation 66" is to give people a chance to get help. State of the Heart Recovery Center, a nonprofit treatment center for substance abuse, is assisting law enforcement to make sure people have access treatment. "Operation Route 66" has cost about $500,000 and there is enough funding to keep it going through June, Laflin said. She said the district attorney's office plans to request additional funding. "We're only at halftime, folks," Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen said. "We're not here to just do 60 or 90 days. We're looking to do more and stay here in this community." New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler issued a warning for criminals who think they have managed to slip through the cracks so far. "Your days of terrorizing this community are coming to an end," he said. "When your luck runs out, and it will, you will meet the consequences. The age of lawlessness is over."
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
'Operation Route 66' nets 700 arrests; no timetable given for end of operation
May 19—A multi-agency operation dedicated to cracking down on crime in the International District led to 700 arrests in three months, including a man who was arrested five times. In February, the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office, New Mexico State Police, Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office and New Mexico Corrections Department's Probation and Parole Division partnered up for "Operation Route 66" to arrest and prosecute people committing crime in the International District. As of Monday, the operation has netted 700 arrests over 12 weeks, recovering dozens of guns and stolen vehicles. About 100 law enforcement officers have been working weekly during the operation, according to the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office. "(The 700) is a staggering number and it shows how much this neighborhood deserved this operation," Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said during a news conference Monday. "It's unfair to the people that live here (...) to put up with this crap out on the streets. And what we're trying all to do in law enforcement is bring back not only a sense of safety, but actual safety for the neighborhood." Of the 700 arrests, Michael Farfan was arrested five times on warrants and new crimes related to vehicle theft, burglary and criminal damage to property, 2nd Judicial District Court spokesperson Nancy Laflin said. "This operation continues to highlight a deeper issue facing communities across New Mexico: high rates of recidivism," BCSO spokesperson Deanna Aragon said in a news release. "A significant number of those arrested during Operation Route 66 are repeat offenders who continue to cycle through the criminal justice system." Of the hundreds of people arrested, 505 had warrants, including seven homicide suspects like Deomtray Davis, who was wanted for an open count of murder, Bregman said. The operation is three months old, but it will continue for the foreseeable future. Officials did not give a timeline. The strategy includes moving to other parts of the city to track people down. "We also are following every single one of those cases and doing everything we can to hold those people accountable and get justice," Bregman said. NMCD Cabinet Corrections Secretary Alisha Tafoya Lucero said probation and parole officers are working with law enforcement and prosecutors to target the most dangerous offenders and connect people who are struggling with addiction to get the services they need the most. Along with reducing crime in the International District, a goal of "Operation 66" is to give people a chance to get help. State of the Heart Recovery Center, a nonprofit treatment center for substance abuse, is assisting law enforcement to make sure people have access treatment. "Operation Route 66" has cost about $500,000 and there is enough funding to keep it going through June, Laflin said. She said the district attorney's office plans to request additional funding. "We're only at halftime, folks," Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen said. "We're not here to just do 60 or 90 days. We're looking to do more and stay here in this community." New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler issued a warning for criminals who think they have managed to slip through the cracks so far. "Your days of terrorizing this community are coming to an end," he said. "When your luck runs out, and it will, you will meet the consequences. The age of lawlessness is over."
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Social Rundown: Kids with gun standoff with police and Menendez brothers resentenced
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Welcome back to the Social Rundown, where you can learn about the online trends happening globally and in Texoma, too! Want to get the latest tea or news on what's trending on social media? Tune in daily! Kids, gun, police standoff With more than 24 million views on TikTok, some intense footage was released by the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office, where two kids with a gun had to be forcefully disarmed during a standoff on Tuesday, May 13. Reportedly, the kids had run away from home with the gun and would not give it up after deputies repeatedly urged them to drop it. Non-lethal shots were fired to distract the boys, and deputies were able to go in, secure the area, and arrest the kids. The Menendez Brothers resentenced Out of Los Angeles, California, the Menendez brothers have been given a chance at parole after a judge decided to resentence and reduce their life sentences to 50 years to life. Erik and Lyle Menendez could soon be eligible for parole after 35 years in prison. The murder of their parents in 1989 has made headlines for many years and even turned into a streaming docu-series in recent years. Sparking debates whether or not the Menendez brothers should be freed or left in prison could soon lean toward them seeing the light of day again. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
NDTV
13-05-2025
- NDTV
Watch: How US Police Disarmed 2 Boys Playing With Loaded Handgun
New Mexico, US: A video is going viral on social media showing two armed young boys, ages seven and nine, in a standoff with New Mexico police in the US. The footage shows police officers repeatedly urging the boys to drop the weapon before using non-lethal rounds to distract them and take the loaded handgun from their possession. The incident happened in February, according to the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office, but the footage was released recently. The Sheriff of Bernalillo, New Mexico's most populous county, credited his department's drone program for helping disarm the two children and prevent any tragedy. The dramatic footage shows deputies negotiating with the boys as they passed the firearm back and forth between them. "Put it down, baby," one of the deputies could be heard saying, as the children hid behind an object placed on the ground. 🚨 #WATCH: As New Mexico Police Use Non Lethal Rounds to Safely Disarm Two Young Boys Holding Loaded Handguns ⁰⁰📌 #Bernalillo | #NewMexico Watch as New Mexico police use non-lethal rounds to safely disarm two young boys, ages 7 and 9, who were found holding a loaded handgun… — R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) May 10, 2025 At this point, the deputies fired a non-lethal weapon to distract the children and moved closer to them before disarming them. According to Sheriff John Allen, at one point, one of the boys raised the gun and pulled the trigger, but thankfully, it malfunctioned. He also noted that the drone provided a critical vantage point to help deputies assess the situation in real time, allowing them to safely and swiftly secure the area. It is unclear how the two boys came into possession of the gun, but police said no charges were filed against them. Authorities have instead been working since the standoff to get the family access to trauma therapy, medical services, behavioural support and even prepaid grocery cards, according to a report by Associated Press. Prior to responding that day to a report of children playing with a loaded handgun, police had reportedly been called to the said house at least 50 times over issues related to the two children and their family. "This case illustrates the complex intersection of juvenile crime, mental health and public safety," Allen said in a statement issued Thursday. "We are taking important steps to close service gaps and expand our ability to work with juveniles involved in firearms or violent crimes." New Mexico has had several cases of violence involving young suspects, including a fatal hit-and-run in Albuquerque and a shooting in Las Cruces in March that killed three and wounded 15 others. Prosecutors, law enforcement and Republican lawmakers have been asking Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to call a special legislative session to address the state's crime problem.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Time of India
Drone footage shows deputies fire non-lethal weapon to disarm armed children in New Mexico
Drone footage shows deputies fire non-lethal weapon to disarm armed children in New Mexico A standoff involving two young boys armed with a loaded handgun was safely resolved thanks to the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office's drone programme, authorities in New Mexico revealed last week. The incident, which occurred in February, was captured on drone and body camera footage released publicly by the sheriff's office. The dramatic footage shows deputies negotiating with the boys, aged 7 and 9, as they passed a firearm back and forth during a tense exchange. 'Put it down, baby,' one deputy is heard saying, urging the children to disarm. According to the news agency AP, the situation escalated when one of the boys pulled the trigger, but the weapon malfunctioned. Sheriff John Allen praised the drone for giving deputies a critical aerial view of the unfolding scene, helping them assess the boys' positions and the firearm in real time. Deputies eventually used non-lethal rounds to distract the children before moving in to disarm and detain them. 'Our deputies could have taken deadly force. That would not have gone well with anybody in the nation,' Allen said during a press conference. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Scarlett Johansson, 40, Shows Off Her Real Size In A New Vacation Photos 33 Bridges Undo Authorities say no charges have been filed against the boys, as state law prohibits prosecuting children that young. According to news outlet HuffPost, the children remain in the custody of their guardians and that the firearm had been retrieved from inside their home. Allen said officials are now considering charges against the parents under a New Mexico law that makes it illegal to store firearms within children's reach. 'We know one side is going to say, 'Lock them in jail.' They're 7 and 9 years old,' Allen told reporters, highlighting the importance of recognising the boys' age and brain development. 'I told you before, numerous times in numerous interviews, that I understand the frontal lobe.' The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office had reportedly been called to the boys' home over 50 times prior to the incident for various issues, according to AP. Instead of pursuing criminal action, the department has worked to connect the family with trauma therapy, medical and behavioural services and even prepaid grocery cards. 'This case illustrates the complex intersection of juvenile crime, mental health and public safety,' Allen said in a statement quoted by AP. 'We are taking important steps to close service gaps and expand our ability to work with juveniles involved in firearms or violent crimes.' New Mexico has seen a surge in violent incidents involving young suspects in recent months, prompting calls from prosecutors, law enforcement, and Republican lawmakers for Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to convene a special legislative session to address the state's growing crime crisis.
