ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The New Mexico State Police, in partnership with the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office, the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office, Probation and Parole, and the Albuquerque Police Department, conducted a weeklong crime suppression operation in Albuquerque's International District from Sept. 22 to Sept. 28.
The operation is part of the State Police's increased efforts in the area, aimed at reducing crime and addressing public drug use through proactive patrols and high-contact stops.
During the seven-day effort, NMSP's uniform officers and Crime Suppression agents reported 51 felony arrests, 7 misdemeanor arrests, recovered 8 stolen vehicles, seized 3 firearms, and various narcotics. Of the 58 felony and misdemeanor arrests made, 50 were identified as repeat offenders.
In one incident on Sept. 22, an NMSP officer attempted a traffic stop on a silver Acura near San Pablo Street and Dixon Road. The driver fled, striking a curb and disabling the vehicle. A woman identified as Cassandra Lucero, 25, fled on foot and forced her way into a nearby apartment, where she locked herself in a bathroom. She later surrendered and was arrested.
A handgun was recovered from the vehicle's door compartment, where Lucero had been seated. She was booked into the MDC's Prisoner Transport Center and charged with:
- Breaking and entering
- Resisting, evading, or obstructing an officer
- Receipt, transportation, or possession of a firearm by a felon
Later that day, agents with the NMSP Auto Theft Suppression Unit spotted a brown Hyundai without a license plate that resembled a previously reported stolen vehicle. Agents followed the car until it pulled into a driveway near Florida Street and Phoenix Avenue. Three occupants exited the vehicle and were quickly detained by the NMSP agents.
The driver, identified as Daniel Chaffin, 47, was seen throwing what agents believed to be methamphetamine under another vehicle. A VIN check through the National Crime Information Center confirmed the Hyundai to be stolen.
Chaffin, who was already on probation for similar offenses, was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center and charged with:
- Receiving or transferring a stolen motor vehicle
- Possession of a controlled substance
- Probation violation
"This operation shows our continued commitment to making Albuquerque's neighborhoods safer," said New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler. "Through proactive patrols and strong partnerships with our fellow law enforcement agencies, we will keep working to reduce violent crime and protect the people of New Mexico."
