By Roger Lanse

As a Bayard Police Department officer was driving on Tom Foy Blvd, at 7:36 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, he noticed a white GMC Yukon in the Snappy Mart parking lot. Ther officer knew the vehicle belonged to Janice Chavez, who had active warrants for her arrest. According to a BPD criminal complaint, on his way to contact Ms. Chavez, the officer saw a male identified as Joseph Chavez, 39, of Bayard, running out of the store and into the white Yukon where he attempted to hide on the floor of the vehicle.

Knowing Mr. Chavez also had warrants, the officer placed him under arrest. During the arrest, Mr. Chavez pulled out a wallet and money from a pocket and placed them on the seat of the vehicle. When the officer asked him why he did that, the criminal complaint stated Mr. Chavez claimed the wallet and money weren't his. Opening the wallet, the officer found a foil packet with 20 blue pills inside, each pill marked with an "M" on one side and a "30" on the other side, a designation used for fentanyl.

Mr. Chavez was arrested, charged with possession of a controlled substance and booked into the Grant County Detention Center. According to GCDC staff, he remains in custody as of Wednesday, Oct. 4.