A local eye sore of the community is the sight of intoxicated people walking around the streets, walking in front of traffic, aggressively panhandling customers in parking lots, the list goes on.
Citizens complained and the Gallup Police Department answered that call. In a special alcohol enforcement project, GPD officers and agents went all over Gallup and found people drinking in public and issued them summons to appear in court. The following are a list of people who received summons:
Gilbert Pinto, 48, of Gallup, N.M.
Benedict John Yazzie, 48, of Pinehill, N.M.
Kenneth Jones, 47, of Navajo, N.M.
Clifford Johnson, 52, of Gallup, N.M.
Caroline Denetclaw, 64, of Lupton, Ariz.
Lynette Woody, 62, of Ganado, Ariz.
Brian Silversmith, 48, of Gallup, N.M.
Franklin Hale, 48, of Gallup, N.M.
Brian Bitsoi, 58, of Gallup, N.M.
Tom Waylon, 56, of Windowrock, Ariz.
Sharon Largo, 43, of Churchrock, N.M.
Dwaine Tso, 44, of Churchrock, N.M.
Kathy Charley, 53, of Gallup, N.M.
Pierce Denetclaw, 66, of Lupton, Ariz. And Gallup, N.M.
During the same enforcement activity, Danny Belone, 42, of Yahtahey, N.M. was taken into Gallup Detox and later summoned into court for aggressive panhandling at Giant North on Highway 491.
Four other individuals were seen in the area behind Albertsons sharing a bottle of Vodka and were all arrested and charged with drinking in public:
Wilford Davis, 47, of Gallup, N.M.
Lowell Ahasteen, 47, of Churchrock, N.M.
Dwayne Tso, 44, of Churchrock, NlM.
Sharon Largo, 43, of Gallup, N.M.
Largo and Tso had both been cited on April 16 when they were seen drinking behind Busy Bee Laundromat. The arrest occured six days later on April 22.
The criminal complaint’s which were filed in Municipal Court cite that drinking in public is a misdemeanor. GPD Captain Rick White alluded that officers are working these special assignments whenever they are able to.
“If you drink in public, you will be arrested, we are trying hard to clean up the streets of Gallup,” White said. “It is against the law to drink in public.”