Grant County Sheriff's Department issues news release on criminal justice system and search for felon

Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 18 October 2021 18 October 2021

This press release is intended to inform the public of multiple issues within the criminal justice system, in-particular the period of time between the arrest of persons charged with serious, habitual and/or violent criminal activity and trial – Many of these persons already being convicted felons and/or released on bond(s) awaiting trial on additional serious criminal charges.

The subject of this release is Santa Clara resident Ruben Chavarria, 64 years of age, an already-convicted felon in 2018. Chavarria was charged with 2 Counts of Criminal Sexual Contact of a Minor in the Second Degree (2nd Degree Felonies) on December 3, 2019. He was charged with 8 Counts of Criminal Sexual Penetration of a Minor in the First Degree (all 1st Degree Felonies), 8 Counts of Criminal Sexual Contact of a Minor in the Second Degree (2nd Degree Felonies), 1 Count of False Imprisonment (4th Degree Felony) and 1 Count of Child Abuse (3rd Degree Felony) on December 30, 2019.

Chavarria was ordered released by the District Court on 03/12/20 and placed on Pre-Prosecution Supervision with an electronic GPS ankle monitor. Chavarria cut/removed the ankle monitor on/about 06/09/21 and fled jurisdiction. Approximately 2 ½ months LATER, the Grant County Sheriff's Office and the Detective Case-Agent were notified of Chavarria's flight.

As of this date, Chavarria remains at-large, a potentially dangerous sexual predator of young children. There is currently a no-bond warrant for Mr. Chavarria's arrest.

This matter is one of countless similar situations being repeated in New Mexico every day as a result of the insane catch-and-release model forced upon us by the New Mexico Supreme Court. The Constitutional Amendment the voters approved a few years ago was not publicized as what we have been forced to practice. We have been further victimized by a Supreme Court which has continuously pushed-forth a social and legislative agenda from the bench, bypassing lawmakers and the ignoring the consequences of their failed social experiment in criminal justice reform.

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