One arrested is McKinley County jailer

Three Gallup men – one a McKinley County Detention Center officer - remained jailed April 27 following an internal investigation connected to contraband allegedly being brought into the jail, officials said during an April 26 news conference on the matter.

McKinley County Adult Detention Center Warden Steve Silversmith said Officer Terrance Hooper is behind bars on a conspiring to bring contraband into a place of imprisonment charge, which is a fourth degree felony. For safety reasons, Hooper, 23, was booked into the Cibola County Detention Center near Grants, Silversmith said. Hooper, a jailer since January of this year, has his bond...

Carmelita James is a four-year police vet; internal hearing set for May 2

An April 23 fight at a local night spot involving an off duty Gallup police officer ended with assault on a peace officer and resisting, evading and obstruction charges, according to a police report.

An internal investigation hearing on the matter is scheduled to go before Acting Gallup Police Chief Franklin Boyd on Monday. The outcome of that hearing could determine whether Carmelita James remains a police employee, Deputy Police Chief John Allen said.

Allen noted that a formal notice-to-terminate has already been sent to James. Allen said the hearing would be between Boyd and James, saying having others...

4/27, COLEMAN SERVED SEARCH WARRANT

A source close to the Sun says that Steve Coleman, a local proprietor and former Gallup Police Department officer, is facing five to 15 years in prison. He has two cases – one in federal court and one at the district court level. It stems largely from when Coleman was arrested Jan. 21 from shooting a neighbor’s trespassing dog, mushrooming into a full-blown investigation.

To explain, Coleman is a registered felon and not permitted to possess firearms. According to the affidavit for a search warrant, issued April 26, 11th Judicial District Attorney Chief Investigator Richard Malone made some disturbing connections to the firearms and Indian...

Ben Lynch

April 14, 7:33 pm

6th DWI, Aggravated

As an officer was transporting “subject(s)” he took notice of Lynch’s silver truck that had drove onto the sidewalk at Miyamura Park. The officer called it in, and Gallup Police Department Det. Mark Spencer caught up with Lynch as he passed over the Miyamura bridge.

Once pulled over, Lynch admitted to drinking, according to the report, but refused to take the field sobriety tests. He also refused to give a blood sample. Other officers searched the truck and found open cans of Coors Light. Meanwhile, Spencer had learned that Lynch, 52, was on the DA’s felony DWI list.

Although Lynch refused to give a blood...