Local Man, Woman Bound Over On Drug Charges

By John Larson
SOCORRO – A local man and woman were bound over to District Court on drug-related charges after a preliminary hearing before Magistrate Judge Jim Naranjo on Wednesday.
Travis Anderson, 18, and Amy Gaytan, 20, were both arrested in their apartment early Friday, July 24, following an investigation by Socorro Police Officer Rocky Fernandez.
They were both charged with one count of trafficking crack cocaine, one count of child endangerment, two counts of possessing medication without a prescription and one count of possessing drug paraphernalia.
According to the criminal complaint, Anderson and Gayton were in bed, along with a small child, when police served the search warrant on their apartment at 1212 El Camino Real.
Anderson was handcuffed and removed to the living room, while Gaytan was allowed to get dressed in the presence of Officer Brandi Perkins.
The complaint said after being read his rights, Anderson refused to give officers any information pertaining to the location of drugs and paraphernalia.
After Gaytan was read her rights, she admitted the drugs were in her purse, where officers found several baggies containing crack cocaine and prescription medication. Located elsewhere in the apartment were a rolled up dollar bill with residue, an electronic scale, an amount of marijuana and cash totaling $704.
All evidence was confiscated and logged into the evidence room at the police department.
The child was picked up by Gaytan’s mother.
Detective Richard Lopez told the Mountain Mail the department is considering the seizure of any property connected with a drug-related crime.
“We are making plans to start seizing people’s homes and vehicles, like it is done in Albuquerque, where it seems to be working,” Lopez said. “The message is, if we can’t stop you, we’ll make you want to move. People don’t want to be losing their homes and cars. If this is the way we have to do it, this the way we’ll do it.”
Police Chief George Van Winkle said the Socorro Police Department is determined to reduce drug activity in the community.

Local Man, Woman Bound Over On Drug Charges