Teacher Accused of Rape Involving Student

(SANTA FE, N.M.) -- A high school teacher is facing felony rape charges after she allegedly had sex with a student.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, Jennifer Vigil, 31, admitted to having sex with a student on two separate occasions, but maintains that the sex was consensual, a claim that the student disputes.

Vigil allegedly locked the doors to her classroom and propositioned the student last month. According to the Journal, the student said he agreed to perform a sex act because he believed it was "the only way to get out of the situation."

The student reportedly took a picture of the incident with his cell phone.

According to the Journal, sexual conduct between a teacher and student is illegal regardless of consent.

Vigil is being held in Santa Fe County jail without bond.

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Five Vehicles Collide on I-25 Near Carlisle

(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) -- There were no major injuries, but a series of vehicle collisions on Interstate 25 west of Carlisle on Wednesday afternoon did cause some traffic delays.

Police say a total of five vehicles were involved in the collisions. At least three lanes of I-25 were closed for part of the afternoon as crews worked to clear the scene.

Police said there were no major injuries. Still, two people were reportedly taken to a local hospital after complaining of pain.

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US Marshals, Laguna Police Arrest Suspected Drug Dealer in Club

(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) -- A suspected drug dealer was arrested at a night club by United States Marshals and Laguna Police early Friday Morning.

Omar Cota is known by law enforcement officials to affiliate with the Sinaloa Cartel and to be a Brew Town gang member. Federal law officers had an outstanding warrant for his arrest on charges of drug trafficking dating back to February 2012, but had been unable to capture him until this point.

On April 26, Marshals received a tip that Cota was at Route 66 Casino inside Club Envy. Authorities say Cota was “arrested off the dance floor,” at 1:45 a.m., shortly before last call.

Officers found a large amount of cash and suspected narcotics on Cota when they arrested him.

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ABQ Police Launch Massive Warrant Roundup

(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) -- The Albuquerque Police Department launched a massive warrant roundup on Tuesday, and has already exceeded their stated goal to arrested 100 wanted fugitives in a 48-hour period.

According to the department, 16 teams of Albuquerque Police officers and detectives, along with help from the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshall’s office and New Mexico Prohibition and Parole took to the streets to find wanted fugitives. Over the span of the four-day effort they hope to arrest as many as possible. They wanted at least 100 in custody by the end of day two.

At the end of the first day of the operation, 105 fugitives on the list were in custody, according to the department’s Twitter account.

Police had a list of 500 outstanding warrants as of April 23, ranging from misdemeanors to homicide charges.

Authorities are hoping that many fugitives will turn themselves in light of this massive police effort.
Live phone banks will be in service throughout the operation, and the department encourages anybody with information about wanted fugitives to contact Crime Stoppers at (505) 843-STOP.

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Home Intruder Shot in Bernalillo County

(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) -- Shots rang out at a home in Bernalillo County early Wednesday morning, and by the time the gunfire was over an alleged home intruder was wounded.

The incident happened around 12:25 a.m. at a home located on the 5300 block of Southfort SW. The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department says deputies responded to the home on a report that an intruder had been shot. At the scene, deputies found a man suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.

The alleged intruder was taken to an area hospital, and has been listed as in stable, but critical condition. The shooting remains under investigation.

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Five Charged with Cocaine Trafficking

(ALBUQERQUE, N.M.) -- Five men have been charged with cocaine trafficking and firearms violations following a federal investigation into an Albuquerque and Santa Fe-based drug ring, The Albuquerque Journal reports.

The indictment was filed on April 9, but was only recently unsealed following the arrests of three defendants.

It charges Gabriel Mirabal, 31, Dominic Anaya, 32, Sam Elyicio, 36, Michael Jaramillo, 22, and Robert Romero, 25, with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base. They allegedly operated in Bernalillo and Santa Fe Counties from May 2012 until this April, when they were caught.

Each faces between five and 40 years in prison if convicted.

The investigation into their cocaine trafficking and manufacturing ring that led to the indictment was known as “Operation Rio Grande Stucco” by the feds.

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Driver of Propane Truck Arrested for DWI Following Crash

(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) -- State Police arrested the driver of a propane truck and charged him with a DWI after crashing in McKinley county on Monday.

Officials believe the driver, 55-year-old Bobby Cleveland of Pewitt, N.M., was speeding on State Road 122 and lost control of his truck shortly after 11 a.m. The truck, which ended up completely on its side, sprung a small propane leak, though it did not ignite.

Investigating officers found empty containers of alcoholic beverages at the crash scene, and Cleveland was arrested for DWI following the investigation.

Cleveland is also being charged with charged with careless driving and open container.

Interstate 40 was shut down in both directions for an hour while a hazmat officer evaluated the crash. State Road 122 and Burlington Northern Santa Fe train tracks were also shut down during the investigation.

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I-40 Collision Leaves One Dead

(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) -- One person is dead following a vehicular crash on Interstate 40 in Albuquerque on Monday night.

The crash was reported around 9 p.m. on the eastbound side of I-40. Albuquerque Police say a bicycle fell from a pickup truck and became lodged under the front of another vehicle. When a man tried to remove the lodged bicycle, according to investigators, the vehicle was rear-ended and the unidentified man was run over.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash remains under investigation.

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Healthy Baby Orangutan Born at Zoo

(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) -- The Albuquerque BioPark welcomed a new baby orangutan born on Thursday night, who is by all accounts doing well, The Albuquerque Journal reports.

The baby’s mom, Sarah, became pregnant last November, surprising zookeepers who weren’t sure what the due date would be. Sarah gave birth to the baby, whose gender isn’t known yet, either late Thursday night or early Friday morning.

Zookeepers say that they closely monitor Sarah and her baby for the first several days of the newborn’s life. The pair are currently separate from the rest of the Sumatran orangutans, but are expected to rejoin them soon.

This is the first orangutan birth at the zoo since 2008.

This is the second baby born in the Albuquerque BioPark this month. They welcomed a baby giraffe last week.

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Four Stabbed at St. Jude’s Church

(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) -- Four people were stabbed at St. Jude’s Church in Albuquerque on Sunday.

Police were called to the church, located at 5712 Paradise Blvd NW, shortly before noon. Service was ending and the choir was beginning its closing hymns when the suspect, 24–year-old Lawrence Capener, reportedly jumped several pews and began to stab choir members.

Witnesses report that Capener, who was not a parishioner at the church, was yelling “fake preacher” during the attack.

Police say that parishioners, including an off-duty Albuquerque firefighter, were able to grab onto the culprit and hold him down until authorities arrived.

Four people were stabbed,and are being treated at local hospitals. None of them have life threatening injuries, according to the police.

Capener is being interviewed, according to police, who say that he is facing “numerous felony charges.” They have no motive at this time.

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