The following items were taken from reports at the Socorro Police Department

Aug. 1

An officer was called at 12:21 a.m. to Denchar Street in reference to a family situation. The officer met with the reporting person, who stated her father was acting weird and talking to himself, and she and her sister did not feel safe around him. The officer met with the father, who appeared to be under the influence of narcotics. He said his daughter was mad at him due to him telling her to leave her bedroom door open. The reporting person told the officer she and her sister would be OK for the night and would contact a family member in the morning.

An officer was dispatched at 9:50 a.m. to a residence on La Vega Road for a theft. A man at the scene stated someone had removed the lock off his shed and taken tools, including a welder, a chain saw, and a power inverter. The officer was shown footprints in the sand on the property coming from the railroad tracks. The homeowner named a possible suspect who lived in the vicinity. The officer went to make contact with the possible suspect, but a family member stated he had not stayed there in two weeks.

An officer was called at 10:16 a.m. to meet with a woman at the police department. She said she had become unemployed a week ago and was filing for unemployment and it was saying her account was locked. When she contacted the operator, she was told someone had filed under her name the day before she left the job. She remembered the day the office received the unemployment claim letter because her coworker at the front desk told her about it. She asked the worker why she would file if she were still an employee there. She said she wrote a letter to Workforce Solutions advising them she didn’t file a claim and never followed up. Neither she nor the person who used her name received any funds from the claim. Nothing further to report at this time.

An officer responded at 10:20 a.m. to a call on a break-in on Hope Farms Road. A female caller stated a male tried to break into the house but left the area when she got on the phone with dispatch. The officer was advised of the vehicle and the license plate number and received information that the suspect had an outstanding warrant and was possibly at his residence on Chaparral Road. On arrival, the officer saw the vehicle in the driveway and approached the front door, identifying himself as a police officer with the Socorro Police Department. A male opened the door and stated he was in the shower getting ready for work and invited the officer into the residence as he was getting dressed. When the suspect came out, he was detained and read his Miranda warnings. He was arrested and transported to Socorro County Detention Center.

Aug. 2

An officer was patrolling the area of Blue Canyon Road at 1:52 a.m. and observed an SUV parked with no license plate at the cemetery. The vehicle began to drive away, and the officer conducted a traffic stop. The driver was asked for her driver’s license, registration and insurance. A male known to the officer was sitting in the passenger seat. The driver stated her license plate for the vehicle was in the back seat. While she was reaching for the license plate, officers observed a glass smoking pipe with a burnt crystal substance under her person on the driver’s seat. As both the driver and passenger were asked to step out of the vehicle, the male passenger suddenly grabbed a black object on the floor by the door and quickly attempted to hide it under the front passenger seat. The officer grabbed his hands and told him to exit the vehicle, but he said the door does not open. He was placed in handcuffs and exited the vehicle through the driver’s side door. An assisting officer collected the glass smoking pipe and secured it. The driver was advised she was under arrest, placed in handcuffs, and placed in a patrol unit. The officer searched the front driver’s seat and located two blue pills. An assisting officer searched the passenger seat area and discovered a small black pouch containing several blue pills and cash. The blue pills were recognized as fentanyl. The vehicle was sealed and towed to the Socorro Police Department, where it was secured in a locked garage pending a search warrant. The driver admitted she uses meth and that she was a drug addict. She was transported to the Socorro Police Department for processing. The passenger was released pending the search warrant. The crystal substance in the glass pipe tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine and was logged into evidence for lab testing. The driver was transported to the Socorro County Detention Center where she was booked on her charges of possession and trafficking a controlled substance. The officer conducted the search warrant on the SUV, which turned up a pouch containing 51 blue pills marked “M” on one side and “30” on the other and a crystal-like substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine. The officer also located $138 inside the pouch. On the driver’s seat, inside a metal container, officers found two more fentanyl pills. Found in the center console were seven plastic containers of methadone. All narcotics were logged into evidence for lab testing. The passenger was also charged with possession and trafficking of a controlled substance.

An officer was dispatched at 11:36 a.m. to Walmart in reference to two shoplifters wearing dark clothing with a backpack. Officers located two males running on Fifth Street and gave chase. An officer observed one of the males drop the backpack and was able to catch up to him. He was detained after a brief struggle. The suspect claimed he was not able to breathe because of his asthma. The officer called EMS, and he was cleared and transported to the Socorro Police Department for the booking process. Officers searched the backpack and found multiple items of merchandise with tags still attached. The officer spoke with the assistant manager of Walmart, who printed a receipt totaling $211.67. The suspect was charged with shoplifting and resisting an officer.

Aug. 3

An officer was dispatched at 9:27 a.m. to a residence on Michigan Avenue for a possible domestic. The officer met with an elderly male who said he was battered by a female caretaker. The officer spoke with a female in the residence who said she was punched by the man she cares for. The officer did see signs of battery on the female. The officer spoke with the elderly male, who was advised to get an order of protection.

An officer was dispatched at 6:40 p.m. to the 600 block of California Street in reference to individuals using drugs. The officer met with a witness who pointed out two individuals next to a Coke machine outside of the Quick and Easy office. The officer walked up to the individuals who appeared to be sleeping and noticed a foil with a blue pill with an “M” stamped on it next to the female. The pill, recognized as fentanyl, was secured by the officer to be sent to the lab for further testing. Both suspects were awakened and checked through NCIC, which showed the female had three warrants for her arrest. The male was told he was free to go, but the female was handcuffed and transported to the Socorro County Detention Center and booked on her warrants and a new charge of possession of a controlled substance.

Aug. 5

An officer was dispatched at 9:50 p.m. to a residence on La Vega Road for a breaking and entering. The victim told the officer he had several firearms taken from his home. The officer noticed the point of entry to be a small kitchen window. The officer was able to locate footprints and followed them a few streets down before they were lost. The officer spoke with the male again, who said he did not have serial numbers for the firearms but could identify them. He also said several items of jewelry were missing. Subsequent investigations identified multiple juveniles who were charged with larceny, breaking and entering, conspiracy, aggravated battery, and disposing of stolen property.

An officer was dispatched to West Place for a vehicle crash. The officer met with the driver who exhibited signs of intoxication. He failed field sobriety tests and was taken to the Socorro Police Department, where he refused to give a breath sample. The male was incarcerated at Socorro County Detention Center for aggravated driving while under the influence (refusal to submit Blood or Breath), reckless driving, and suspended/revoked driver’s license.

Aug. 6

An officer was dispatched to Economy Inn to take a report. The officer met with an intoxicated female who said she had been battered by her ex-boyfriend in the past. She said she did not want anything to do with her ex. The officer spoke with the ex-boyfriend who said he knew everything that was happening because he was on a video call with the female while officers were there.

Aug. 7

An officer was called to the 700 block of Bagley Avenue in reference to a stolen vehicle. The officer located the victim who stated she was at a friend’s residence when the suspect was arguing with his girlfriend. She said the suspect then got into her vehicle and drove away. The victim provided the officer with the VIN for the vehicle, and it was entered into NCIC as stolen.

An officer was dispatched to Walmart for a male who was hit by a vehicle. The officer met with the male, who said he was hit by his niece’s car and that she was inside the store. He said he did not need medical attention. The officer spoke with the driver who said the sun was in her eyes, and she did not see her uncle. She said she was taking her uncle home. The uncle said he did not want to pursue any charges.

An officer was called to a residence on Hilltop Drive for a male needing to be trespassed. The officer met with the complainant who said her son was in her house taking a shower, but she wanted him trespassed from her property. She said her son owns a trailer on the property, and they had an agreement that while he lived on her property, he would not be going to her house or inside her house. The son was run through NCIC which showed he had a warrant for his arrest out of Magistrate Court. He was placed into custody and was later transported to Socorro County Detention Center.

Officers were called at 11:51 a.m. to the 1300 block of Lopezville Road on the report of a man inside a truck who possibly shot himself. Officers met with an individual who said the last time he saw the male was last night at around 10 p.m. He said he didn’t hear anything last night, and this morning his wife went to check on him and noticed him inside the truck with his head tilted back. The officer approached the truck and found the male with a gun in his right hand. The officer noticed the man was bleeding from his mouth and nose and had wounds to his head. EMS arrived on the scene, and after a medical assessment, OMI was called. OMI arrived at 1:10 p.m. and confirmed the time of death at 1:15 p.m. The officer contacted the next of kin.

Chieftain Staff Report