Edgewood man faces felony charges after allegedly arming self with gun

An Edgewood man accused of headbutting his wife during an argument and throwing an object at one of their children denied the criminal charges against him on Monday.

Benjamin Spence Jr., 32, was released on bond Monday after he was charged with four counts of felony child abuse not resulting in death or bodily harm, as well as charges of battery against a household member and resisting an officer following an armed domestic dispute that drew Santa Fe County SWAT officers to his house Friday evening.

An arrest statement says Spence’s wife told deputies that she and the children locked themselves in a room when he armed himself with a gun.

The document says Spence became aggravated when deputies tried to detain him, pushing one officer to the ground and running away. Deputies unsuccessfully tried to subdue the man with a Taser, the statement says, but later managed to detain him. According to the document, Spence’s wife had visible injuries to her head.

Deputies also reported they found nine .20-gauge shotgun shells in his pocket, and a loaded shotgun on the kitchen counter. As part of his release Monday, Spence was ordered to stay away from his Edgewood residence.

Spence, reached by phone on Monday, said the domestic dispute was blown out of proportion, that his gun was unloaded and that police had treated him unfairly.