By Roger Lanse

On Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, at about 5:33 p.m., Silver City Police Department officers were dispatched to the Skate Park in reference to a bomb threat. The unidentified female caller said she heard five men, all wearing masks and in a black Chrysler, talking about blowing up the courthouse and probation office. According to an SCPD incident report, the caller said all five were between 20 and 30-years-old, were heard 15 to 20 minutes ago, and had a red dufflebag with 12 to 15 guns inside. The caller also requested that no courthouse should be opened the next day, Monday, the 12th.

Both magistrate court judges, the Sixth Judicial District Courthouse, the Silver City Municipal Court, other municipal courts within Grant County, Bayard Police Department Chief Hector Carrillo, and the Adult Probation and Parole Office, were notified by SCPD officers, the report stated. Extra patrols for all these locations were initiated by law enforcement.

Four days later, on Thursday, Feb. 15, at about 2:10 p.m. an APPO officer told SCPD officers he was contacted by an unknown female stating a 21-year-old female friend of hers had heard some guys talking downtown about a bomb threat at the district court and APPO office this afternoon between 2:45 and 5 p.m. The APPO officer also stated a female called him asking what time Cory Maldonado's APPO visit was today, as his Monday visit had been re-scheduled due to Sunday's bomb scare. The officer thought this odd as he was certain Maldonado knew when he needed to show up, the report said.

According to the report, officers put two and two together and determined Cory Maldonado, 35, of Santa Clara, had a female call in the bomb threat on the 11th so he wouldn't have to attend his scheduled visit with APPO the next day, Monday. The 12th, and, he was trying the same ruse this time on the 15th to get out of his 4 p.m. afternoon visit.

When Maldonado arrived at 4 p.m. to APPO, SCPD officers inspected Maldonado's phone and found evidence that allowed them to place him on hold for violating his probation, and he was arrested. According to Grant County Detention Center staff, Maldonado remains in custody under a no-bond hold charged with violation of probation conditions.