Court roundup
Carl Gage, 48, will appear before the Eighth Judicial District again after a jury found him guilty in August of possession of a weapon by a prisoner. Gage has been incarcerated since he was accused of committing a series of burglaries in Taos County in 2018.
He has been charged with nearly 30 different crimes related to burglaries of almost a dozen Taosarea businesses. Gage received 19 years for his possession of a weapon in the Taos County jail, and more time may come as he faces charges relating to a burglary at Enchanted Circle Brewing in Angel Fire in 2018.
Gage is currently facing charges of possession of burglary tools, non-residential burglary, larceny and tampering with evidence (all fourth-degree felonies), along with criminal trespass and criminal damage to property (both misdemeanors).
On Dec. 6 Gage will appear before Eighth Judicial District Judge Emilio Chavez to be tried for the Enchanted Circle Brewing burglary. Gage will still face additional charges for burglaries at businesses such as KOKO Cafe, Southwest Wellness, Popolo’s Games and more.
Dominic Argüello, 34, of Chamisal is facing a second-degree murder charge after he was accused of shooting his brother Shane Argüello during a night of drinking in Peñasco in May of 2019. Argüello has said the incident was an accident, claiming his brother shot himself as they were playing around with a gun while intoxicated.
Argüello is set to appear before Eighth Judicial District Judge Emilio Chavez for a jury trial on Nov. 29 after a continuance of the trial was granted in May of this year.
Argüello is represented by defense attorney Alan Maestas. Come Ripol is prosecuting the case on behalf of the state.
Lorenzo Sanchez, 27, was a Taos
County Sheriff’s deputy when he was arrested by his own coworkers after allegedly ramming the back of a moving vehicle his girlfriend was riding in.
In October 2020, an argument between Sanchez and his girlfriend at his house in Velarde allegedly turned physical, ending with his girlfriend, her mother and her brother leaving in a car heading to Taos. As they passed the horse-shoe on NM-68, Sanchez reportedly approached them from behind. Sanchez allegedly struck their vehicle in an attempt to stop them.
When Taos County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene of his girlfriend’s residence, Sanchez appeared to be inebriated. After a sobriety test was conducted and it was determined he was going to be charged, lapel video shows he began to resist arrest. Another deputy then tased Sanchez and he eventually consented to the arrest.
Sanchez will appear before Eighth Judicial District Judge Jeffrey Shannon on Dec. 6 for a jury trial. He is facing 10 total charges, including three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (fourth degree felonies), one count of battery on a police officer (also a fourth degree felony), aggravated DWI (a petty misdemeanor) and two counties of resisting arrest (petty misdemeanors) among others.
Sanchez is represented by defense attorney Alan Maestas. Karen Etcitty is prosecuting on behalf of the state.
Damon Tuskruskye, 27, was arrested earlier this month after he was initially reported missing, then police say he appeared on a rooftop in the Taos Plaza, naked and wielding a fiery piece of wood.
Tuskruskye has been charged with arson and criminal damage to property (both fourth-degree felonies), indecent exposure, resisting arrest, assault on a police officer (all misdemeanors) and disorderly conduct and concealing his identity (both petty misdemeanors).
The Eighth Judicial District
Attorney’s Office filed a petition for pre-trial detention, which was granted, and Tuskruskye has been incarcerated at the Taos County jail since his arrest.
A preliminary hearing has been set for Dec. 3 in front of Judge Emilio Chavez.
Damian Herrera, 25, of Ojo Caliente was found guilty of murdering his family and one stranger during a spree in 2017. Herrera still faces one additional murder charge in the incident related to allegedly killing another person in Taos County.
After killing his mother, brother, and stepfather in Rio Arriba County, Herrera fled north, allegedly stopping to steal the truck of Michael Kyte in Tres Piedras. Kyte ended up another of Herrera’s victims.
After stealing Kyte’s truck, Herrera went on to kill a fifth person near Abiquiu.
A jury trial in November of 2020 was vacated due to COVID-19, and another trial set for March was cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. Herrera was set to finally appear before a jury in Taos County on Dec. 6 in front of Judge Jeffrey Shannon, but that trial has also been vacated.
Herrera is represented by attorney Todd Farkas. Sherri Trevino is prosecuting on behalf of the state.
Michael Roybal, 34, of Peñasco was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact with minors under the age of 13 in May 2020. Roybal allegedly sexually touched and abused the two over a monthlong period.
Along with two charges of criminal sexual contact with a minor, Roybal was charged with two counts of abuse of a child and two counts of bribery of a witness (all third degree felonies). Roybal allegedly tried to prevent the two children from contacting the police.
Roybal will appear before Judge Jeffrey Shannon on Dec. 6 for a jury trial. He is represented by defense attorney Alan Maestas. Come Ripol is prosecuting the case on behalf of the state.