Police Blotter | Reward for info on death of woman in Laguna

ALBUQUERQUE

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of Mona Renee Vallo.

On March 9, passers-by discovered the body of Vallo on U.S. Route 66, New Mexico Highway 124, mile marker 20, in Laguna Pueblo.

Her injuries were consistent with a hit-and-run crash. She may have been struck at approximately 7 p.m. on the date her body was found.

Vallo was a member of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and a resident of Acoma.

“The deaths of too many Native American men and women remain unsolved,” said Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the Albuquerque FBI Division. “We are working with the Pueblo of Laguna Public Safety Department to give Mona’s family the justice they deserve. The public can help by contacting us if they have any information about her death.”

Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the FBI at 505-889-1300 or go online to tips.fbi.gov.

Illegal drug sale investigation leads to 3 arrests

HOLBROOK – On March 30, after a three-month investigation of illegal drug sales and the execution of a search warrant, Seth Lee Taylor, 31, Faith Ann Taylor, 53, and Desiree Nicole Splane, 23, all of Show Low, were arrested and booked into Navajo County Annex for drug charges.

Police, deputies and detectives executed a search warrant at a residence in Show Low. During a search of the residence, six Xanax pills, two Fentanyl pills, and 37 grams of methamphetamine were found.

Seth Taylor and Splane were both arrested and charged with possession of dangerous drugs for sale, possession of narcotic drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Faith Taylor was arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

Navajo Co. Sheriff’s report: March 20 to April 2

HOLBROOK – The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office reports the following activity from Sunday, March 20, through Saturday, April 2.

On March 21, during a traffic stop on State Route 260, Norma Jo Goodman, 41, of Payson, was arrested and booked into Navajo County Annex for DUI related charges.

On March 24, during a traffic stop in Holbrook, Kristin Lee Herms, 34, of Winslow, was arrested and booked into Navajo County Jail for DUI related charges.

On March 24, during a traffic stop on State Route 260, Jose Alberto Garcia, 22, of Springerville, was arrested and booked into Navajo County Annex on DUI related charges, liquor in a motor vehicle and a warrant.

On March 27, deputies were dispatched to Winslow for a criminal damage report. Stanley Yazzie, 32, of Winslow, was arrested and booked into Navajo County Jail for criminal damage and resisting arrest.

On March 27, deputies checked into a report of an assault in Joseph City. Marco Dixson Jr., 19, of Joseph City, was arrested and booked into Navajo County Jail for aggravated domestic violence, assault and disorderly conduct.

On March 27, during a traffic stop on Interstate 40 near milepost 299 in the Sun Valley area, a positive K-9 alert revealed one gram of cocaine. Jesus Jose Magallon, 22, of Grand Prarie, Texas, was arrested and booked into Navajo County Jail for possession of a narcotic drug.

On March 30, during a traffic stop in Show Low, Brandon Clah, 26, of Holbrook, was arrested and booked into Navajo County Annex for DUI related charges.

$5K award for info on petroglyph spray-paint damage

ALBUQUERQUE – The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the vandalism committed at the La Cieneguilla Petroglyphs in Santa Fe.

On or about Jan. 19, 2022, spray-painted graffiti was discovered on the petroglyphs, located on property managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Most of the petroglyphs date between the 13th and 17th centuries. The FBI and BLM are investigating.

Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the Albuquerque FBI Division said, “It’s hard to believe someone would try to ruin these priceless works of art and show such disrespect for this area’s unique heritage.”

Anyone with information about this vandalism is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or online at tips.fbi.gov

NM launches drugged endwi campaign

SANTA FE – With legalized recreational marijuana on sale as of April 1, the New Mexico Department of Transportation has launched a new drugged endwi campaign.

“Impairment is impairment it doesn’t matter whether it’s alcohol or cannabis, driving while intoxicated on any substance is dangerous and illegal,” said Transportation Secretary Mike Sandoval. “If you are impaired and driving erratically or unsafely, you could be arrested for DWI. The law is the same.”

Officers will evaluate signs of impairment rather than relying on the smell of cannabis.

Officers will likely administer the standard field sobriety tests, which don’t necessarily look for a specific drug but rather help officers determine how incapacitated someone is.

According to the University of New Mexico, crashes involving only drug use have increased over the last 10 years. Reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Governors Highway Safety Association show drugs were present in 43% of drivers who were fatally injured with a known test result.

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