5 Albuquerque teens charged with gun crimes; released due to understaffing at juvenile detention center
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Five teens faced arrest over the weekend for two separate incidents on Albuquerque’s west side. However, in both cases, none of the teens were taken to the juvenile detention center.
On Saturday, the Albuquerque Police Department reported receiving an alert after four teens stole a city-owned bait car. Authorities stated the group drove around the city, passing a firearm among them. At one point, the driver even pointed the firearm outside the vehicle. Officers eventually halted the vehicle’s movement near the Costco near Coors Bypass and arrested the teens. Two of the arrested teens, 15-year-old Luciano Chavez and 16-year-old William Maxx, were already on active juvenile probation prior to Saturday’s incident.
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Crime: Teens charged with gun crimes; released due to understaffing at detention center
Sunday, police responded to a call at the IHOP near Coors and Ouray after a teenage girl exhibited aggression toward staff and patrons. Police reported the situation escalated when the girl brandished a firearm and shots were fired. Subsequently, the girl fled, and the truck she entered crashed at a nearby apartment complex. Although she wasn’t in the truck at the time of the crash, she returned to the scene after police arrived. Authorities identified and arrested 17-year-old Serenity Maldonado.
In both instances, the teens faced charges. However, police noted that “while the teens met the criteria for juvenile detention, the Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center denied to detain them due to understaffing and overpopulation.”
News 13 reached out to the county to ask why they would not take the teens this weekend, they said they weren’t able to quote “due to [the detention center] being at its maximum ratio of eight residents to one officer.”
They also say their staffing will increase from 35 to 64 by the end of the month and will be able to take in more teens.
