A Rio Rancho man was arrested last week after he allegedly emerged from his home armed with a rifle and forced three 13-year-old boys to fight in his driveway while threatening them with the weapon, according to court records filed in Sandoval County Magistrate Court.
The 38-year-old man was arrested March 19 in Enchanted Hills and faces six felony counts — three counts of child abuse not resulting in death or great bodily harm and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
According to a statement of probable cause filed by a Rio Rancho Police Department officer, the incident began when a woman contacted law enforcement to report she had just picked up her son and two of his friends, all 13, from an address on Nighthawk Drive NE. She reported the juveniles had gone there to fight another teen, and that the other teen’s father had displayed a firearm during the confrontation.
When officers spoke with the three juveniles, they said they had previously been friends with the other teen but had a falling out following an argument at Mountain View Middle School. They said they went to the Nighthawk Drive address intending to engage in a physical fight. Upon arriving, they observed the other teen outside. As they approached, the garage door opened and the defendant emerged holding a rifle.
The juveniles told officers the man manipulated the firearm in a manner consistent with racking the charging handle, instructed one of the boys to fight his son, and directed another to record the altercation. All three said they were afraid of being shot. The man also allegedly said the fight would continue until one participant was knocked unconscious. The probable cause statement noted a significant size disparity between the man — described as approximately 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds — and the juveniles.
A woman who responded to the scene to retrieve the boys told officers the man initially refused to let two of them leave with her until their parents arrived. She said that after she told him she was contacting law enforcement, he allowed them to go. The juveniles told officers they had not felt free to leave during the incident, and that the man threatened to chase one of them if he attempted to leave.
Video footage provided by one of the juveniles showed the fight taking place in the driveway and on the roadway for approximately 10 minutes, with the defendant watching and at times holding the firearm “in a manner consistent with intimidation,” according to the probable cause statement.
When officers contacted the man, he was detained and advised of his Miranda rights, which he acknowledged and waived. He told officers he had reviewed his son’s phone the day before and saw messages from the juveniles that included images of firearms and indicated they planned to come to his home to fight. He said he believed he had the right to “stand his ground” and that his son had the right to defend himself. He said he could not recall whether he chambered a round.
He denied seeing firearms in the juveniles’ possession but said one had a piece of a jigsaw, which was later discarded. He said he remained armed due to fear.
Based on video evidence and witness statements, the arresting officer wrote that probable cause existed for all charges, noting the man had exited his home with the firearm rather than remaining inside and contacting law enforcement.
He was transported to the Sandoval County Detention Center following his arrest.
The 528 does not name alleged victims or persons accused of wrongdoing until a case has been adjudicated in court.
I am the father of one of three children directly involved in this incident, and I am writing to express serious concern regarding the status of this case. The magistrate court dismissed the charges against the defendant solely due to the filing of incorrect paperwork by the responding police officer — an administrative error that should not be allowed to prevent justice from being served.
The court made clear that the officer is required to refile the correct documentation in order for this case to move forward. This is not a complex legal hurdle — it is a straightforward corrective action that has yet to be taken. In the meantime, three families are left without answers, without accountability, and without any meaningful communication from the officer responsible.
Myself and the other affected parents have made repeated, documented attempts to contact the officer directly. We have received no response. This silence is unacceptable. These are children. The individuals responsible for this incident have not been held accountable, and every day that passes without action compounds the harm already done to our families.
We are formally requesting that this matter be treated with the urgency.
The Rio Rancho man also has prior convictions, yet owns a gun and holds a clearance to work at the LANL? And he was let out after one night in jail because the officer did a shit job on filing the paperwork? Fix this please and arrest him again before he hurts someone. Maybe take his gun away? Our city would be safer if police would do their job correctly. Sadly, the man’s own child is also a victim.