Convicted stalker running for Pearce’s seat

Alcon, son of a state lawmaker, is sixth Dem to seek nomination

David Alcon, who said he has moved on since his stalking conviction nine years ago, said Tuesday he is running in the Democratic primary for the congressional seat being vacated by Steve Pearce.

Pearce, a Republican from Hobbs, is giving up the seat to run for governor. Alcon is the son of state Rep. Eliseo Alcon, D-Milan.

“The seat needs a liberal, and I’m definitely the liberal the district deserves,” David Alcon, 38, said in an interview.

“We have a president who may be starting a war with North Korea and possibly a genocide of the Korean people,” Alcon said. “I’d like to do what I can to prevent that.”

Alcon also said he’d work to build a sports stadium in Belen to attract a National Football League team, as well as a major league soccer team. This could be paid for, he said, if New Mexico legalizes marijuana for recreational use. In Congress, he said, he’d work to take marijuana off the federal government’s list of most tightly controlled drugs.

Alcon also advocates a “bullet train” between Los Lunas and Anthony, south of Las Cruces.

Also seeking the Democratic nomination for Pearce’s seat are Las Cruces Fire Chief Adolf Zubia; David Baake, a Las Cruces lawyer; Tony Martinez, who retired after a career in the pharmaceutical industry and the military; Madeline “Mad” Hildebrant, a college instructor in Socorro; and Ronald Fitzherbert, an administrator at a Las Cruces health clinic.

Republicans running for Pearce’s seat include state Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn; former Hobbs Mayor Monty Newman; state Rep. Yvette Herrell of Alamogordo and Jack Volpato, a Carlsbad pharmacist.

Asked about his jury conviction on stalking and trespassing charges, Alcon said he was given a deferred sentence by a judge in January 2009. Under the terms of the sentence, the charges were dismissed in January 2012 after Alcon successfully completed three years of probation, according to court records.

“It was a real funky case,” Alcon said. “I was in jail for about 100 days without being indicted. And the judge changed the jury instructions.” He said the judge gave him a deferred sentence because he knew that Alcon would appeal the verdict.

The candidate said he’d had to deal with mental health issues. “I’ve been able to maintain my mental health,” he said. “Mental health is something that people don’t pay attention to. It’s a big issue in this state.”

At his sentencing, prosecutors said Alcon broke into his exgirlfriend’s home in the summer of 2007. Police found him passed out in the residence with the alarm going off. Alcon later showed up at the woman’s house late at night, left notes and flowers on her truck, left harassing messages for her and drove past her home, prosecutors said.

Authorities said he sprinkled rose petals on the victim’s front

porch on the first day of his trial in September 2008.

The judge in the case told Alcon that a psychological report indicated he is “incredibly immature.”

A prosecutor at the sentencing hearing said Alcon was previously convicted of domestic violence, battery, assault and violation of a restraining order.

Alcon said at sentencing that he acted “selfishly and stupidly.” He said he’d been sober for a year and a half and had completed numerous hours of anger-management classes.

Asked Tuesday why he would subject himself to questioning about the stalking case by running for public office, Alcon said, “It’s something in the past. You’ve got to move forward sometime.”