LAS CRUCES - A southern New Mexico man suspected of absconding with his 2-year-old son and setting a La Mesa home on fire was indicted last week by a Don?a Ana County grand jury, court records show.Sergio Guadalupe Jacquez, 23, of the 1100 block of Madison Street in Anthony, New Mexico, was charged was with arson resulting in more than $20,000 in damage, a second-degree felony, and child abuse, a third-degree felony, according to online court records.He also was charged with breaking and entering and unlawful taking of a motor ...
LAS CRUCES - A southern New Mexico man suspected of absconding with his 2-year-old son and setting a La Mesa home on fire was indicted last week by a Don?a Ana County grand jury, court records show.
Sergio Guadalupe Jacquez, 23, of the 1100 block of Madison Street in Anthony, New Mexico, was charged was with arson resulting in more than $20,000 in damage, a second-degree felony, and child abuse, a third-degree felony, according to online court records.
He also was charged with breaking and entering and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, both fourth-degree felonies, as well as one count of battery, a petty misdemeanor, records show.
The grand jury returned the indictment against Jacquez on Jan. 26, three weeks after he had been released on bond from the Don?a Ana County Detention Center.
A nationwide warrant for his arrest was issued on Jan. 2.
Authorities accused him of endangering the life of 2-year-old son by forcibly taking him from his grandparents’ mobile home in La Mesa and escaping to Mexico. Authorities also alleged that he beat his son’s grandfather, doused the mobile home with gas and set it on fire before fleeing with his son in a stolen vehicle.
The home was destroyed, leaving Carlos Jurado, the grandfather, and his family without a home.
Jacquez is believed to have gone to Mexico for several hours. But the boy and his mother reunited late on Jan. 2.
The following afternoon, Jacquez surrendered to the Don?a Ana County Sheriff’s Office. Jail records show he was booked into the county jail at 3:01 p.m. Jan. 3 and was released at 10:45 a.m. Jan. 5 after posting a $60,000 secured bond.
He is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 13 in 3rd Judicial District Court in Las Cruces, records show.
His attorney, Kelly O’Connell of Las Cruces, did not immediately return requests for comments on Tuesday.
“It’s my client’s story that he was attacked first and was just defending himself,” O’Connell told the Sun-News on Jan. 4
A victim advocate for the sheriff’s office said Tuesday that the Jurado family have since relocated.
"According to Ida Aguirre, who is the advocate assigned to this case, the Jurados have moved to another location and are doing well. With Ida's help, they were able to get some assistance in relocating," a statement from the sheriff's spokeswoman, Kelly Jameson, read.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to benefit the family. To donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/ethanjurado.
Carlos Andres Lo?pez can be reached 575-541-5453, [email protected] or @carlopez_los on Twitter.