SOCORRO - A Socorro man who was free on bail and awaiting trial on a murder charge has been arrested for the theft of a boat, its motors, and related fishing gear.
Atanacio “Smokey” Cordero, 25, who will be tried in District Court on Feb. 1, 2010, for the Christmas Eve murder of Michael Martinez, was arrested Monday, Aug. 31, following an investigation by Off. Rocky Fernandez of the Socorro Police Dept.
In addition, Juan Benavidez, 34, and Jennifer Garcia, 30, have each been charged with the same four felony counts. If convicted on all counts - burglary, larceny, conspiracy, and vehicle theft – each could be sentenced to nine years in the penitentiary and pay fines of up to $30,000.
According to the criminal complaint, Cordero removed a boat and trailer from a storage establishment on Frontage Rd. with the assistance of Benavidez and Garcia.
In his report, Fernandez said that Juan Benavidez confessed the robbery. Benavidez told Fernandez that he and Cordero initially tried to take the motors off the boat while still in the storage yard. Attempts to remove the motors at the scene failed, so the entire boat and trailer were hitched to Jennifer Garcia’s vehicle and towed off the property.
The report states that the boat and all of its contents were then taken to a spot near New Mexico Tech, where they had time to figure out how to remove the motors. The motors eventually ended up at a residence in Valencia County, the report said.
The stolen property was valued at $13,421.52, according to an itemized list submitted by the owner. Fernandez said the final amount could be substantially higher. An arrest warrant has been issued on Juan Benavidez. Jennifer Garcia hearing will be Thursday, Sept. 10, at 9 a.m.
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