COURT NEWS

Special Prosecutor Andrea Reeb has announced that on Tuesday evening after a three-hour preliminary hearing the Magistrate Judge David Segura found was probable cause that Martin Ray Trujillo, 53, of Espanola, committed solicitation to aggravated assault against a peace officer – deadly weapon, a fourth-degree felony.

The charge stemmed from a May 21 incident during which Trujillo is accused of ordering his subordinates to draw guns on other officers who arrested his boss, Sheriff James Lujan. Trujillo allegedly directed his officers to draw their weapons against the Taos County Sheriff’s deputies and Espanola police officers, who were at the Rio Arriba Sheriff’s Office serving search warrants.

Trujillo faces up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.  The case will now be assigned to District Court and will be scheduled for an arraignment.

Andrea Reeb, District Attorney from Clovis was assigned as Special Prosecutor by the Attorney General’s Office.  Trujillo was represented by his attorneys, William Snowden, of Los Alamos and Damion Horne, of Gallup.