ALBUQUERQUE – New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas today joined a multistate coalition of 21 attorneys general, led by California, in submitting an amicus brief in Fund Texas Choice v. Paxton to protect the right of individuals to travel out of Texas to obtain an abortion. The multistate amicus brief was submitted in support of a motion for preliminary injunction filed by reproductive rights advocates seeking to halt enforcement of several Texas anti-abortion laws. In the amicus brief, the coalition argues that Texas residents as well as coalition state residents temporarily in Texas for school, work, or vacation, have the right to travel to pro-reproductive rights states to access legal abortions.
Santa Fe— New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas announced today that James Brandon Henz pled guilty to twelve counts involving six child victims. The crimes committed against the minor victims include criminal sexual penetration of a minor, criminal sexual contact of a minor, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and bribery of a witness. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Henz will be sentenced to at least 18 years in the Department of Corrections and faces a maximum sentence of 88.5 years. Sentencing will be set after a sentencing evaluation is completed. Henz will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
ALBUQUERQUE – Yesterday, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas, in partnership with the Life Link, Crime Victims Reparation Commission (CVRC), U.S. Department of Labor and CYFD, kicked off the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office’s 6th Annual Human Trafficking Conference. The conference brings law enforcement and service providers from around the state, nation, and across our Mexican border together to collaborate and build relationships, learn and share goals and initiatives moving forward to combat human trafficking.
ALBUQUERQUE – New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas today announced an agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) committing DOE to a new timetable for updating energy efficiency standards for 20 categories of common consumer products and commercial equipment. The impacted products and equipment range from residential furnaces to laundry machines to electric motors. According to experts’ estimates, updated standards for these products could provide more than $600 billion in total utility bill savings to American families by 2050 and avoid more than 90 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually by 2040.
ALBUQUERQUE – New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas is investigating
allegations that Huggies brand diapers are causing serious negative skin reactions on
children wearing the diapers. Reports indicate that reactions can range from mild
irritation to serious medical conditions. To assist in the investigation, the Attorney
General is seeking information from New Mexicans about any reactions their children
have experienced while using Huggies products.
ALBUQUERQUE — Today, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas announced
the conviction of Marcos Concepcion on four different felony counts of shoplifting crimes
committed in Albuquerque. As a result of today’s guilty pleas, Concepcion faces up to
three years in prison. Sentencing will be set after a sentencing evaluation is completed.
SANTA FE — New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas delivered opening remarks, kicking off the State’s opioid trial against Walmart, Walgreens, and Kroger. The trial addresses the State’s allegations that the companies substantially contributed to the opioid crisis in New Mexico by failing to monitor suspicious orders of opioids and failing to investigate prescriptions filled at their pharmacies that may have been written for an illegitimate purpose. The trial, which began in Santa Fe September 6, is expected to last 7 weeks.
ALBUQUERQUE — Today, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas announced
another success against organized retail crime in Albuquerque with the pretrial
detention of Brianna Garcia. The New Mexico Office of the Attorney General motioned
to detain Garcia until trial, detailing her dangerousness to the community. That motion
hearing was delayed by Garcia’s flight to Oklahoma, where she picked up additional
charges. By the time she was returned to New Mexico, the Second Judicial District
Attorney’s Office had filed additional charges against her in a separate murder case.
FARMINGTON — Today, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas and Eleventh
Judicial District Attorney Rick Tedrow announced that Jerry Jay pled guilty to the
first-degree kidnapping and second-degree murder of Cecelia Finona. Jay faces up to
33 years in prison at sentencing, which will be held after Jay undergoes a forensic
evaluation.
ROSWELL — Today, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas and Fifth Judicial
District Attorney Dianna Luce announced that the Honorable Thomas Lilley sentenced
Edward Bingham to 32 years in prison. In announcing the sentence, Judge Lilley found
that the circumstances surrounding the case were egregious and that Bingham had no
remorse for his crimes. In addition to the sentence of incarceration, Bingham will have
to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. The case was prosecuted by the Fifth
Judicial District Attorney’s Office in partnership with the New Mexico Office of the
Attorney General.