On Tuesday, Story highlighted a recent case that he said demonstrates how changes to New Mexico’s competency laws can be used to protect public safety while directing individuals to treatment.
Source: Las Cruces Police (via Facebook)
Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story periodically uses social media to discuss cases that shed light on aspects of the criminal justice system that are often not visible to the public. On Tuesday, Story highlighted a recent case that he said demonstrates how changes to New Mexico’s competency laws can be used to protect public safety while directing individuals to treatment.
Story released the following statement:
“From time to time, I talk about a case that highlights the failures of our system. It is also important to showcase examples of the system working correctly. Many successes go unnoticed, but I can at least draw attention to some of them.
We had a very concerning incident at the library a couple of months ago. A man was viewing what appeared to be child pornography on a public computer. This man is very well known to us and has a history of child exploitation. He was convicted federally of possession of child pornography in 2014.
There have been several escalating incidents involving him over the past few years, including when he was charged with failing to register as a sex offender in 2025. That charge was dismissed because he was found incompetent. He has also had several probation violations and battery on a peace officer charges that were likewise dismissed due to competency.
This year, he was found incompetent on several petty misdemeanor charges through Municipal Court. Our city attorney, Brad Douglas, pursued the new process created by changes to the competency statutes passed by the Legislature in 2024. Mr. Douglas argued that the defendant was dangerous and presented a serious likelihood that he would commit sexual exploitation of a child or child abuse.
A District Court judge agreed and sent the defendant to the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute in Las Vegas, where he can receive treatment and, more importantly, will not be a danger to our community.
Thank you to City Attorney Brad Douglas, Detective Pierce Wilbur and the District Court for showing everyone that the system does, in fact, work many times. And thank you to the New Mexico Legislature for the 2024 changes that made it possible to find this person dangerous.
Effective collaboration is essential to keeping our community safe.
Thank you.”
The case cited by Story involved a defendant found incompetent to stand trial. According to the chief, changes enacted by the New Mexico Legislature in 2024 created a process allowing courts to determine whether certain defendants present a danger to the community while receiving treatment.
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