Latest news with #NewMexicoDepartmentofJustice
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NM attorney general and two manufacturers cap diabetes drug costs in settlements
A pharmacy manager retrieves a bottle of antibiotics. (Photo by) Under settlement agreements reached earlier this year and announced by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez on Wednesday, two insulin manufacturers have committed to make the diabetes treatment cheaper for New Mexicans. 'These are huge wins for New Mexicans who have struggled with the outrageous cost of insulin,' Torrez said in a statement. 'These agreements will help people stop rationing medication, avoid financial hardship, and focus on staying healthy. We are holding drug manufacturers accountable and making access to life-saving treatment more equitable.' New Mexico Department of Justice spokesperson Lauren Rodriguez told Source NM that the agreements provide insured patients who might have a high deductible or copay the option to pay cash instead of using their insurance, and to pay no more than $35 for a monthly supply of insulin, Rodriguez said. The New Mexico state law enacted in 2020 that caps insulin costs at $25 remains in full force and is not preempted or replaced by the new settlements, Rodriguez said. Instead, the agreements are 'additive protections mainly aimed at helping cash-paying and uninsured patients, while deferring to state law when it offers better pricing,' she said. As many as 207,600 adults in New Mexico, or approximately 11% of the state's adult population, have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Without the caps, patients in other states could pay $150 per month or more, especially if they require multiple variations of the drug, Stateline reports. More states are doing what they can to cap insulin costs High out-of-pocket costs have historically forced many patients to choose between buying insulin and meeting other basic needs, NMDOJ said in a news release. The settlements result from the agency's independent investigations into insulin pricing practices, NMDOJ said. The state's agreement with Sanofi-Aventis U.S. LLC, signed on April 18, requires the company to maintain its Insulins ValYou Savings Program, which allows patients who pay out-of-pocket to receive a month's supply for $35. The Sanofi settlement also requires it to maintain its Patient Connection Program, which allows uninsured patients who aren't eligible for Medicaid and whose annual household income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty line to receive insulin for free. Under the settlement, Sanofi must also provide patients live phone and translation support in Spanish, Hmong, Somali and Mandarin Chinese; and participating pharmacies will receive training to help patients enroll in affordability programs. The settlement with Novo Nordisk Inc., signed on May 19, requires the company to maintain its MyInsulinRX Program, which offers diabetes patients the option to pay $35 or less for a monthly prescription. Under the agreement, Novo Nordisk must also continue its Patient Assistance Program, which offers insulin for free. The settlement also requires Novo Nordisk to notify pharmacies about available discounts at the point of sale, help patients enroll on the spot and offer live phone and website chat support in Spanish. Reporter Danielle Prokop contributed reporting to this story. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Santa Fe police haven't provided reports on downtown shootings
Editor's note: The Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) 'enables access to public records of governmental entities in New Mexico,' according to the New Mexico Department of Justice. Public Records Watch is an occasional series from The Santa Fe New Mexican that documents how public agencies respond to IPRA requests. Police have been sparse on details regarding two downtown shootings in recent months and have still provided no reports from their investigations of either incident. 041723 md (copy) Alvin Crespin enters a plea during a hearing in 2023 in the First Judicial District Court. He was shot to death April 25 in De Vargas Park. Records staff from the city of Santa Fe have estimated it will take two months to provide any police reports related to the fatal shooting of Alvin Crespin at De Vargas Park in late April. The city also has yet to provide any reports on another fatal shooting in early May in downtown Santa Fe. A man was charged with shooting and killing Crespin at the downtown Santa Fe park April 25, and a woman was accused of conspiring in the homicide and acting as a getaway driver. Police arrested the suspects, Pierre Cheykaychi and Alexis Chavez, in the week after the shooting. A request for police reports related to the investigation was submitted April 28. Records staff have estimated they will be able to produce the reports June 27. City staff have pushed back the expected date to provide the reports twice, deeming the request for police reports in a single murder investigation "excessively burdensome or broad," a designation that allows city staff to take longer than 15 days to produce records in response to a request. Little is still known about the shooting death of Raven Iron Lightning Scott on May 12 in downtown Santa Fe — including whether Scott's death was a homicide. Police have declined to answer questions about the fatal shooting, including those seeking details about the circumstances of his death. Raven Raven Iron Lightning Scott Scott died from his injuries from at least one gunshot wound, police said, and he was found at a city-owned parking lot at Water Street and Don Gaspar Avenue in the early hours. Police have not filed any criminal charges in the shooting. The New Mexican submitted a request for reports from the death investigation May 22. After 12 days, city records staff have not given an estimated date for producing the records. City spokesperson Regina Ruiz did not respond to an email seeking an explanation for the delays in providing the public records. Deputy police Chief Ben Valdez wrote back Tuesday saying he would check on the requests with the city's records staff.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Dogs help New Mexico Department of Justice sniff out crimes against children
ALBUQUERQUE — New Mexico Department of Justice Special Agent Mariah Gonzales has no ordinary partner — she's got four legs, a tail and a collar. But she brings a new definition to sniffing out crime. Special Agent Nyx, a 2-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, fills a unique role in the department's Internet Crimes Against Children Unit: sniffing out the phones, hard drives and other devices suspects use to store child sexual abuse material. 'She's a vital tool for us in the event that investigators might overlook or miss devices that could potentially have child sexual abuse material on them,' Gonzales said in an interview. 051925_ElectronicDog02rgb.jpg Nyx, a 2-year-old Labrador and electronic scent detection K-9, is led through statues of people in conversation by her handler, Special Agent Mariah Gonzalez, in downtown Albuquerque during a walk around the block Monday. Nyx, officially designated an 'electronic detection K-9,' represents a strategy law enforcement agencies have been using for years across the country. She's trained to sniff out a compound called triphenylphosphine oxide, which coats just about every device used to store data, including cellphones, hard drives, SD cards, etc. Most of the time, Nyx is deployed on search warrants. Gonzales will give her cues, and the pair will follow Nyx's nose throughout the house, vehicle — or whatever the search warrant is for — until she finds something, at which point she's trained to sit and point. Nyx is one of two special agent canines working for the state Department of Justice, said spokesperson Chelsea Pitvorec. Nyx's counterpart, Gadget, is 'primarily housed in our Human Trafficking Unit as an emotional support animal and is secondarily a trained electronic detection scent dog who can assist with ICAC search warrants and other operations as needed,' Pitvorec wrote in an email. 051925_ElectronicDog03rgb.jpg Nyx, a 2-year-old Labrador and and electronic scent detection K-9, wags her tail while heading back to the office after a brief walk with her handler, Special Agent Mariah Gonzalez, in downtown Albuquerque on Monday. Both dogs are successors to another dog named Joey, who served the agency for six years before retiring last year. Nyx is like any other agent with the New Mexico Department of Justice — just with a couple extra legs, fur and an exceptional sniffer. She trains every day with Gonzales, who hides electronic devices as practice runs for Nyx and earns treats each time she succeeds. She goes out on every search warrant the Internet Crimes Against Children unit serves, though Gonzales and Pitvorec couldn't say exactly how many times the Labrador has been deployed in the field in the roughly year she's been working. Nyx's services are sometimes loaned out to law enforcement agencies throughout the state to aid in their investigations, Gonzales said. 051925_ElectronicDog04rgb.jpg A small stuffed animal of Nyx's predecessor Joey, a now-retired electronic scent detection K-9, perched on a window at the state Department of Justice's offices in Albuquerque on Monday. Nyx also sometimes pulls double duty as a comfort dog when on assignment, providing support to unsettled or otherwise traumatized children who may be around during the unit's investigations. 'With the cases that we work, a lot of the times, there might be kids on scene,' Gonzales said. 'And so she's able to be there, not only to assist us in the investigation, but also to be there for the victims.' But Nyx is also like any other dog. Every night, she goes home with Gonzales, shedding her police vest and going on runs or playing fetch with her human partner. She's never found a squeaky toy she couldn't beat, destroying two per week, Gonzales estimates. 051925_ElectronicDog05rgb.jpg Badges on display — one reading Special Agent Attorney General NM and the other reading Agent NYX — at Civic Plaza in Albuquerque on Monday. Nyx — who's attached at the hip of Gonzales — has eyes for few others, constantly gazing up at her and taking her cues from every movement she makes. 'I'm, like, her favorite person,' Gonzales said. 'But, also, I have her reward bag.'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State auditor and Attorney General investigate missing money in Mora County
MORA COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – Nearly three million dollars in public funds have gone missing, and now two of the state's top investigators are bearing down on Mora County, which was charged with overseeing that cash. 'We've been receiving complaints from a county official about potential financial malfeasance, conflicts of interest, potential procurement violations,' said Joseph Maestas, New Mexico State Auditor. Story continues below Trending: Remains found in Santa Fe National Forest identified as 1950s wrestler, actor Don't Miss: Santa Fe teacher, principal, and school counselor put on administrative leave Entertainment: Which Santa Fe spots did Guy Fieri visit on 'Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives'? Those whistleblower complaints led the auditor to declare a 'special audit' against Mora County. An accounting firm looking into that county's finances found the red flag.'This forensic accountant disclosed the fact that there was 2.7 million dollars in unaccounted for funds,' said Maestas. It comes as Mora County is simultaneously managing $40 million in state wildfire relief funding after the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Fire. Countywide, dozens of roads and culverts need repair following flooding on burn scars. 'Regarding the 40 million dollars in disaster relief funds for infrastructure repair and replacement, we're concerned in terms of whether or not the county can adequately manage that amount of funds,' said Maestas. While investigators still need to get to the bottom of exactly where the county's missing $2.7 million and what those dollars are supposed to be for, the auditor said the financial mess signals major concerns for Mora County. 'I have an obligation to the Mora county residents to ensure them that we're going to get to the bottom of any financial mismanagement and ensure that the 40 million dollars that's been set aside for disaster relief and mitigation is spent appropriately,' said Maestas. The New Mexico Department of Justice also confirmed with KRQE News 13 on Wednesday that they're opening a review into financial concerns surrounding Mora County's finances. The county manager's office did not return KRQE News 13's call on Wednesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Jury convicts Albuquerque man who was arrested during online sex sting operation
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A man who was arrested as part of the New Mexico Department of Justice's online predator undercover chat operation was found guilty in court Wednesday. A jury convicted Mahmoud Telfah of child solicitation by electronic communication device and meets with a child, as well as sexual exploitation of children by prostitution (hires) (attempt). Albuquerque father charged in 5-month-old daughter's death changes plea Telfah connected with an undercover account posing to be a 15-year-old female via a SkipTheGames ad in October 2024, according to investigators. Officials said Telfah inquired about the prices of sexual acts and agreed to meet up. The next day, he arrived at the designated location and was arrested by the NMDOJ and APD. 'This man was arrested after showing up to meet what he believed was an underage child for sex. He deserves to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. We will not tolerate this kind of exploitation in New Mexico—and we will keep fighting to keep our children safe, both online and off,' Attorney General Raúl Torrez stated in part in a news release. At the time of his arrest, Telfah was a graduate student at the University of New Mexico. He will remain in custody until his sentencing hearing, which will be scheduled at a later date. He faces up to six years in prison. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
