Area man pleads guilty to rustling

By Leslie Wood
Staff Writer

GALLUP — A Prewitt man pleaded guilty to four charges of larceny of livestock on Friday morning for allegedly stealing privately owned cattle that were grazing in the McGaffey area.

District Judge Grant Foutz accepted Troy Elkins' guilty plea to the third-degree felony charges, as part of a plea and disposition agreement offered by District Attorney Karl Gillson.

Elkins admitted to taking four or five cows on March 19, 2005 from a government corral located west of the McGaffey pond. He then allegedly attempted to sell the cattle for about $400 each.

Elkins is facing additional charges concerning similar allegations in another New Mexico jurisdiction.

As part of the agreement, Elkins could face up to three years in prison. However, the sentence is at the discretion of Foutz and the decision will be made during a sentencing hearing, which is expected to be held in 30 days.

Case against ex-EMS employee going to district court
A Magistrate Court judge ruled enough evidence exists to proceed to district court with felony charges pending against a former EMS employee.

Magistrate George Galanis bound over multiple charges of sexual exploitation of a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor to district court for possible trial.

Three Gallup boys, whose ages range from 12 to 14, alleged Genaro Sandoval asked them to display their rear ends to a video camera that was positioned inside his bedroom.

According to one boy's testimony, they were promised paintball gear in exchange for their participation in the prank video that would be sent to one of Sandoval's friends in Albuquerque. One boy, however, testified Sandoval told him he could display his genitals to the camera.

"He said to do whatever is nasty as possible," the 14-year-old boy said. The boys met Sandoval while playing at the local paintball park where he worked part time.

The 14-year-old boy later "felt weird" about the encounter and told his mother who then notified police.

During cross-examination by public defender Richard Wade, one boy said Sandoval did not ask him to do anything other than "moon" the camera.