August 18, 2026 - 6th Judicial District, NM — Sixth Judicial District Attorney Norman R. Wheeler announced an ongoing crackdown on repeat offenders, confirming that eight high-profile local cases have been accepted for federal prosecution by the New Mexico U.S. Attorney's Office.
The referral to federal jurisdiction follows repeated criminal actions by the individuals, allowing for more severe sentencing guidelines and a zero-tolerance approach to habitual crime within the Sixth Judicial district.
The New Mexico U.S. Attorney's Office has accepted the following cases for federal review and prosecution:
Edgar Ozuna – Murder in the First Degree (Willful & Deliberate).
Dominic Carbajal – Armed Robbery, Kidnapping (1st Degree), Possession of a Firearm or Destructive Device by a Felon.
Rudy Sepulveda – Shooting at or from a Motor Vehicle (No Great Bodily Harm).
Max Flores – Fraud-(over $2,500-less than $20,000), Possession of a Firearm or Destructive Device by a Felon.
Christopher Hernandez – Kidnapping (1st Degree) (No Intent to Commit Sex Crime).
Ray Chacon – Possession of a Firearm or Destructive Device by a Felon.
Jessica Acosta – Possession of a Controlled Substance (Schedules I-III).
Jesus Lopez – Causing or Permitting a Child to Engage in Sexual Exploitation (Child 13-18).
This successful federal referral highlights an extensive, multi-agency intelligence-sharing initiative across the region. Investigators from the New Mexico State Police, Grant County and Luna County Sheriff's Offices coordinated directly with officers from the Silver City, Deming, Lordsburg, and Bayard Police Departments, alongside the District Attorney's own investigative team, to track and apprehend the suspects.
"The Sixth Judicial District law enforcement agencies are committed to working together to keep dangerous criminals off our streets," said District Attorney Wheeler. "These criminal acts spanned murder, narcotics sales, grand larceny, and possession of illegal weapons. Thanks to the hard work and collaboration of our law enforcement partners, we are not only indicting these individuals, but we are actively preventing deadly drugs and potential violence from entering our communities."
