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Gallup Sun

Friday, Mar 29th

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Weekly Crime Blotter

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CHECK BANDIT BUSTED

4/18, Gallup

James Vinson remained incarcerated at the Gallup-McKinley County Adult Detention Center on a probation-related violation, officials said. Vinson was on probation for larceny and burglary charges. He’s being held on a $3,000 bond.

Vinson was taken into custody April 18 for not checking in with his Gallup probation officer, according to jail records. Vinson was a suspect in recent incidents regarding the cashing of forged checks. He’s is also listed as an accomplice to Josh Cucciardi, who is currently wanted by local police for forgery and identity theft.

In one instance of Vinson’s past wrongdoing, he attempted to cash a bogus $685.78 check at T&R. T&R personnel called the false issuer of the check and that instance led to a string of false check-cashing attempts by Vinson.

MURDER SUSPECT NABBED

4/8, Gallup

Nigel Michael Johnson, 19, of Albuquerque was taken into custody April 8 by the New Mexico State Police on a murdering charge stemming from Albuquerque.

According to information provided to the Gallup Sun by the NMSP, Johnson was apprehended at a Gallup hotel where he was staying under a fictitious name, according to state police information.

Johnson is charged in the murder and robbery of 66-year-old Irvin Sanchez of Albuquerque. Johnson remained incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque without bond this week, records show. The state police report does not say why Johnson was staying in Gallup.

The Albuquerque Journal reported this week that back in August 2016 a woman called police saying she witnessed three young men beat up an older Native American male, take his wallet and run away near the location of a 7-Eleven store at the corner of San Mateo and Kathryn SE. Sanchez later died at an Albuquerque hospital, the Journal reported.

Another man, Emilio Mirabal, 19, was arrested about two months ago in connection with the incident. A third suspect is still at large.

SECURITY THREAT

3/28, Gallup

A Gallup man, employed as an armed truck stop security guard and sandwich maker at a local Subway, managed to get out of jail March 29 in spite of the irresponsible use of a gun against his former girlfriend, records show.

Phillip Ramirez II, 26, was taken into custody by Gallup police on March 28 after he threatened to shoot his ex-girlfriend and whoever she was seeing. Ramirez is a member of the New Mexico National Guard and a licensed gun carrier in New Mexico.

According to a police report, Ramirez was jailed on an aggravated assault on a household member charge and subsequently booked into the McKinley County Adult Detention Center. He got out 24 hours later on a $5,000 bail bond.

“I have two loaded guns in my car, I’ll show up at Rocket’s Café and shoot whoever you’re talking to,” Ramirez told Chelsea Guillen, 22. “I’ll shoot him. I’ll shoot a guy,” Ramirez uttered to the ex-girlfriend, as per the police report.

Gallup police officer Luke Martin wrote in a report that he arrived at the Hemlock Canyon Trail residence of Guillen at about 10:42 pm and in reference to an apparent domestic dispute. Ramirez was accusing Guillen of seeing another guy and was acting in a belligerent manner, the police report states. Guillen did not have physical injuries. By the time police arrived on the scene, Ramirez had fled to his residence on East Logan Avenue.

Guillen, who stated in the police report that she broke up with Ramirez about a month ago, told Martin that Ramirez owns two handguns and a “rifle-type firearm.” She added that Ramirez has “military” training and suffers from “anger issues.”

Guillen stated in the police report that during the argument at the Indian Hills home, Ramirez pulled out a black gun and waived it in the air. Ramirez went so far as to show Guillen that the gun contained real bullets. The two have a 2-year-old son, according to the police report.

Guillen’s grandmother, who lives at the Indian Hills residence, was able to call police. Guillen said she felt Ramirez was definitely capable of shooting her and asked police to increase patrols of the Indian Hills home.

A Gallup police sergeant was able to speak with Ramirez, who said he had weapons in his personal vehicle. Ramirez declined to go in depth with police in answering questions about the incident without the presence of an attorney.

Guillen was issued a domestic violence packet by Martin. Ramirez has since quit the truck stop security guard gig.