DEA warns of increase of scam calls

EL PASO, TX - The Drug Enforcement Administration warns the public to be careful of telephone calls from criminals posing as DEA agents or other law enforcement personnel threatening arrest and prosecution for supposed violations of federal drug laws or involvement in drug-trafficking activities.

The DEA says it continues to receive reports from the general public and practitioners indicating that they have received calls threatening legal action if an exorbitant fine is not paid immediately over the phone. The callers typically identify themselves as DEA personnel and instruct their victims to pay the “fine” via wire transfer to avoid arrest...

The McKinley County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a man who reportedly raped a 15-year-old girl here several months ago.

The girl reported the sexual assault last December, and she said it occurred either in the late summer or fall.

She said she was walking in downtown Gallup one night when she accepted a ride home from

a man in a black car. Instead of taking her home, he took her to a local motel and raped her. She was unsure which motel it was and the date, so detectives could not ask for motel records.

The only description detectives have is that he is an African-American in his fifties. He said his name was Mike and that he lived in Gallup, but originally was from New...

Gallup Police Officers located and recovered a stolen flatbed trailer along with two stolen ‘Bobcat’ style loaders at a west side residence this past week.

The loaders, reportedly stolen from the Albuquerque area, are valued at more than $60,000.

On March 11, officers arrested Cecil Cochrane, 48, of Gallup. He is charged with possession of stolen property.

GPD Capt. Marinda Spencer credits the department’s swift recovery to the owner of the equipment, for inserting a GPS tracking device on the trailer.

The equipment was returned to the owner.

MCKINLEY COUNTY – New Mexico State Police investigated a fatal crash involving a pedestrian on New Mexico State Road 118, near mile post 27 east of Gallup, early evening March 5.

The initial investigation indicated that a 2003 Dodge van driven by Frank Adrian Jiron, 39, of Albuquerque was traveling west on SR 118.  For unknown reasons, Tommy Mariano, 85, of Crownpoint was walking in the roadway. The Dodge van struck Mariano, who sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

During the investigation, officers determined that Jiron exhibited signs of being under the influence of an “intoxicating substance,” according to a State Police news release. He was...