SOCORRO - A local man was bound over to District Court Thursday, May 27, on two felony charges; possession of cocaine and trafficking marijuana (his second offense).
Frank Alexander, 26, was arrested April 9 during a traffic stop on South California St.
In the criminal complaint filed in Magistrate Court April 12, Socorro Police Officer Rocky Fernandez said he knew through a reliable source that Alexander had been selling narcotics from the vehicle, and a check with the National Crime Information Center showed that he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest from Municipal Court.
After the car, with a female driver at the wheel, was pulled over Alexander consented to a search of the vehicle, which was conducted by Fernandez and Sgt. Richard Lopez.
The complaint said that a marijuana grinder was found on the right passenger seat, and an electronic digital scale along with a box of large plastic baggies, “indicative of trafficking narcotics,” was found in the center console.
When Lopez began to open zippered purse sitting on the driver’s seat, Alexander stated, “You cannot search the purse.”
The officers immediately discontinued the search and contacted the District Attorney’s office. They were instructed to seal the vehicle and get a search warrant.
Alexander was arrested and taken to the Socorro County Detention Center. The female driver of the vehicle was questioned and released.
After the car was towed to the police department, officers executed the search warrant, turning up several burnt marijuana roaches in the ash tray. In the zippered purse officers found two bricks of marijuana weighing 12 ounces. Also found were two cocaine bindles - envelopes made by folding a square piece of paper, often used for carrying powdered drugs such as cocaine; popular with drug traffickers because it requires no tape, glue or fasteners and does not leak when folded correctly.
Other items in the car included a glass pipe for smoking marijuana, a glass pipe for smoking methamphetamines, and a plastic container containing loose marijuana.
The complaint said the vehicle will be seized due to trafficking narcotics.
If convicted on both counts, Alexander faces three years on the marijuana trafficking charge and 18 months on the cocaine possession charge.
A trial date in District Judge Matt Reynolds’ courtroom has not yet been assigned.
Sets cell on fire
In the meantime, Alexander faces another charge stemming from an incident in which a fire was set in his cell Monday afternoon at about 5:30 p.m.
According to Socorro County Detention Center Director Evangel Maldonado, Alexander set fire to his blanket and some of his clothes shortly after speaking with guard Chris Zamora.
“He had been causing problems all day, trying to speak with female inmates, so we needed him locked down, and were getting ready to transfer him to the Department of Corrections in Los Lunas,” Maldonado said. “He had apparently smuggled in a lighter that was missed in a body cavity search. Chris had just finished speaking with him when he set the fire. Chris grabbed a fire extinguisher and was able to put it out.”
Maldonado said the Socorro Fire Department arrived shortly afterward and helped air out the building.
Also responding with another extinguisher was the detention center’s shift supervisor Tony Bowers.
County Manager Delilah Walsh said Bowers was to be commended.
“Tony took charge of evacuating the building and getting who needed to be locked down, locked down,” she said. “The damage was minimal, but Mr. Alexander will be charged for starting the fire, and financially charged for the expense of replacing what burned.”
Alexander is currently being held in Los Lunas.
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