By Roger Lanse

On Monday, Apr. 17, 2023, Silver City Police Department officers contacted a local woman who stated she was shopping at the Silver City Food Co-op with her infant son and 8-year-old daughter. Finishing her shopping and standing in line at the register to pay, her daughter left the line to return a lemon to the produce section as they had selected one too many. At this time, according to an affidavit for arrest warrant dated Apr. 20, 2023, the mother saw a thin male in his 20s with long dark hair come running from the east side of the store She watched as the man wrapped both arms around her 8-year-old daughter from behind and began dragging her toward the door.

However, the affidavit stated, the man dropped the young girl when he got to the door and ran south on Bullard Street. Surveillance footage from inside the store failed to capture the incident as the cameras were facing the register, not the door.

The next day, Tuesday, Apr. 18, SCPD officers, according to the affidavit, again contacted the mother and daughter. The mother stated she originally thought someone was playing a joke on her when she saw her daughter being dragged toward the door. She had her infant child in her arms and was about to run after her daughter when the man suddenly released the daughter and ran south, she told officers. She advised there was a little delay in calling for Law Enforcement as she was in shock and was trying to calm her daughter who was very scared and crying. The daughter told officers she thought the man was trying to take her.

On Wednesday, Apr. 19, with the help of additional witnesses and photo lineups, Rudy Mesa Jr., 23 to 24-years-of-age, of Silver City, was identified as the assailant, the affidavit said. One witness stated Mesa was issued an indefinite criminal trespass warning on Monday, Apr. 17, to a Gold Street address after he showed up looking for the witness' 11-year-old cousin who he had hurt in the past.

According to the affidavit, Mesa has been charged with one count of kidnapping in the second degree. A warrant will be issued for Mesa's arrest, the affidavit stated.