Inmates indicted on attempted murder charge

By Jim Maniaci
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — A 13th Judicial District Grand Jury has returned attempted murder indictments against three men housed at the Western New Mexico Men's Corrections Facility in north Grants.

Wednesday's actions by the Cibola County Grand Jury also included two other men being indicted on felony charges in separate cases.

Deputy District Attorney Randall M. Collins, for District Attorney Lemuel Martinez, convinced the grand jury to charge Kenneth Griego, 39, and Randall Kose, 27, with second-degree felony attempted murder, third-degree felony aggravated battery intending great bodily harm, second-degree felony conspiracy to commit murder, third-degree felony tampering with evidence and second-degree felony of a prisoner possessing a deadly weapon. Christopher Brandenburg, 26, faces all the same charges except for conspiracy to commit murder.

The indictment alleges that on June 28 they attempted to use a shank a home-made knife to try to kill Samuel Mascarenas. It also lists eight guards as witnesses to support the allegations.

Ralph Montano, 25, was charged with one fourth-degree felony count of being a felon in possession of a firearm in a Dec. 6 Cibola County Sheriff's Office case.

Fred A. Roybal, 59, was charged with one count of second-degree felony trafficking in a controlled substance by possession with intent to distribute the prescription narcotic drug oxycodone. The indictment does not state a date in a case with both a Grants City Police Department officer and a Cibola County Deputy Sheriff as witnesses.

Assistant District Attorney Peter Robertson presented both cases to the grand jury.

An indictment is one method for authorities to allege someone has violated a state criminal law and begins the defendant's journey through the judicial system to determine whether they are guilty or not guilty of the charge.

— To contact reporter Jim Maniaci, telephone 285-6184 in Grants or (505) 870-7775 (cellular).