BY MAIRE O’NEILL
A dangerousness hearing to determine whether or not Austin Cox, 27, of Los Alamos should be kept in detention pending trial has been scheduled for 4 p.m. Dec. 12 before First Judicial District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer in Santa Fe.
Cox was arrested Dec. 4 and charged with 23 counts of criminal sexual penetration of a 13-16 year old, three counts of trafficking a controlled substance and four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
In a petition filed with the Court, Assistant District Attorney Kent Wahlquist noted that Cox committed the crimes in two of the three current cases against him while he was on pre-trial probation. He said Cox knew his victim was 15 years old but that he took her to his residence to provide drugs and alcohol and to engage in sex.
Wahlquist’s petition said the evidence is strong, that the victim gave statements to police and that Cox sent text messages to the police (believing he was texting the victim) corroborating the victim’s account and acknowledging he knew she was 15 years old.
Wahlquist also noted that Cox has previous criminal history and that these factors render him dangerous and likely to pose a serious threat of ongoing danger to the safety of the larger community.
According to documents filed by LAPD, police contacted Cox using the victim’s phone and made arrangements for the victim to meet him at a local café. When he left his home at 8:12 a.m., police officers placed Cox under arrest. During his arrest, officers found a baggie containing pills.
LAPD also executed a search warrant at Cox’s home however no details of the results are being released at this time.
During an interview with Det. Ryan Wolking after his arrest, Court documents indicate that Cox made several confessions after first making denials and lying about a few details. The report states that Cox repeatedly stated that he knew being with the victim would get him in trouble.
Cox also faces preliminary hearings in Los Alamos Magistrate Court Dec. 14 in two prior cases involving possession of a controlled substance and a pre-trial probation violation.