AND THERE IS A STATE PRISON ONLY 13 MILES FROM LAS CRUCES

Police chief in Dem-run crime hotspot says light-touch judges keep freeing offenders... with one arrested 100 TIMES

 

By Rachel Bowman and Connor Boyd 

 

Daily Mail

Nov 10, 2025

 

 

Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story (pictured) called out judges with lenient sentencing practices that have allowed criminals back on the streets

 

A police chief has issued an extraordinary public rebuke of light-touch judges in his New Mexico city, which is being overrun by violent crime.

Jeremy Story, head of the Las Cruces Police Department, slammed lenient sentencing practices, which he says have allowed criminals back on the streets.

He pointed to the case of Neil Garcia, a man arrested more than 100 times, including for assaults and gun threats, calling it a 'microcosm of the New Mexico criminal justice system.'

Despite prosecutors pushing for the man to be involuntarily committed and tougher sentences, the man reoffended as recently as April 2025, punching a Walmart employee after being caught stealing.

'Mr Garcia had had several cases dismissed because he was found incompetent, and again, that's being dismissed without consequences or treatment,' Story said in a social media video. 'He [Mr Garcia] was also deemed to be not dangerous by the courts.'

Story added: 'I would argue that he poses a clear danger to the public and community. And the people he is victimizing are people who are just working and trying to live their lives in the community we all share.'

The police chief said sadly this case was 'not an exception, this is the rule'.

'My officers are out there arresting him and others like him every day without options,' said Story, before signing off the video by asking the public to share their ideas and thoughts in the comments about how to make Las Cruces safer.

In 2024, Las Cruces (pictured) recorded a violent crime rate of roughly 720 per 100,000 residents, nearly double the national average

 

Las Cruces is facing crime rates well above both state and national averages.

In 2024, the city recorded a violent crime rate of roughly 720 per 100,000 residents, nearly double the national average of 398 and significantly higher than the New Mexico state average of 525.

Property crime is also soaring, with 4,882 incidents per 100,000 residents, compared with the state average of 3,600 per 100,000, placing Las Cruces among the top 20 US cities for theft, burglary and vehicle crime.

Violent crime is also climbing, with homicides jumping from 10 in 2023 to 17 in 2024 and aggravated assaults surging.

In response to rising crime Las Cruces police met with local residents at city hall in April 2024 outlining the challenges officers face and asking the public for suggestions on improving safety.

Ironically, this is when Garcia was caught breaking windows at the city hall building and was charged with felony vandalism.

Two months later, Story said Garcia was arrested again for breaking windows at the same building.

'Why do I bring up these cases other than the obvious irony? Because a case was recently dismissed by a district court judge because Mr Garcia was found to be incompetent,' the police chief said.

 

Story pointed to the case of Neil Garcia (pictured), a man arrested more than 100 times, including for assaults and gun threats, who recently had a case against him dismissed

Las Cruces (pictured) residents praised Story for calling out the judges and providing transparency in the comments on his video

 

'The judge also denied a petition by the District Attorney's Office for assisted outpatient treatment, and the judge did not use the new community based restoration option that's available in New Mexico.'

Although it is unclear which judge allowed Garcia to walk free, district judges in New Mexico are initially appointed to their roles by the governor.

After their first year, judges must be elected to the office. Daily Mail contacted the office of New Mexico's Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for comment.

Residents praised Story for calling out the judges and providing transparency in the comments on his video.

'I applaud you for calling out the judges who keep allowing these things to happen. It brings clarity to moments when the community thinks the police aren’t doing their job,' one person wrote.

'People want to complain that “the police don’t do anything” but a lot of times it seems that they just already know the judges won’t do anything about it so they let things slide.'

'Thank you for all you're doing to make actual change,' wrote another. 'This is wrong on the Judge's part. You are 100 percent right. It isn't an outlier, it is a rule. The repeat offenders are negatively impacting local businesses, schools, our entire community.'

A third person wrote: 'Shame on the judge for denying alternative resources which could’ve helped that individual and the community in the long run.

'It’s refreshing to see a Chief in the light all the time, fighting for his community, and fighting for his officers. You don’t see that anymore!'

Some suggested the judge and the police chief work together to reach an understand on how to address the issue of repeat offenders.

'The judge and Story need to get together and have a serious conversation. Then come together in a town hall and let’s get both sides,' one person wrote.