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Shot putter Brooklyne Ivans reflects on state championship

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Shot putter Brooklyne Ivans reflects on state championship

JT Keith
Artesia Daily Press
jtkeith@elritomedia.com

This year’s state championship meant more to Artesia shot putter Brooklynne Ivans.

Ivans knew it would be the last time she wore Artesia colors. That made winning as a senior mean more than the title she won as a junior.

“I knew I would not throw in college,” Ivans said. “I wanted to finish my senior year off strong. I had such a rough season that this means the most.”

Ivans was not having the season she wanted. She said she lacked confidence and spent most of the year being beaten by teammate Harper Murray at meets and in practice.

Being at state the year before helped her understand what she needed this time. Ivans said she had to keep a positive mindset, something she struggled to do during the season.

One reason for her comeback was the coaching of Andy Lopez and the encouragement of her mother, who kept telling her to stay positive.

Ivans said Lopez told her she could win state. She also put in extra time before and after practice to sharpen her technique.

She started strong, fell off in the middle of the season and found herself again when it mattered most.

“At the end, I got my confidence back,” Ivans said. “I was able to win state with a 37-foot, 9-inch throw on my third throw.”

Ivans’ sophomore year at state did not go well. She did not throw her best or make the finals.

As a junior, she won the state championship with a 35-foot, 6-inch throw on her final attempt.

After winning that championship, Ivans said the moment felt surreal.

“It was a relief to win the title,” Ivans said. “I was expecting to win. I needed to win for myself. It was more of an expectation, so it was a relief that it was over.”

Ivans will attend Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. She plans to become a social studies teacher and wants to teach high school. She will not play volleyball or compete in track and field in college.

JT Keith can be reached at 575-420-0061 or on X @JTKEITH1.

Los Alamos nuke waste a concern at WIPP as residents raise issues at a town hall in Hobbs

Adrian Hedden
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Los Alamos nuke waste a concern at WIPP as residents raise issues at a town hall in Hobbs

 

The possibility of a radioactive release while waste is shipped to a repository near Carlsbad drew concerns from locals along the route.

Santa Fe County resident Cynthia Weehler raised the issue during a Wednesday, Aug. 5, town hall held by the U.S. Department of Energy in Hobbs to give a public update on operations at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

At WIPP, the Energy Department disposes of transuranic nuclear waste (TRU), which is clothing materials, equipment and other debris irradiated during nuclear activities.

The waste is buried at WIPP in a salt deposit about 2,000 feet underground. The salt gradually collapses on the waste, burying the refuse and blocking radiation from escaping.

Weehler, a frequent WIPP critic with the 285 Alliance, questioned WIPP’s preparation should an incident occur while waste is being shipped to the facility, specifically on U.S. Highway 285 from Los Alamos National Laboratory south to the repository.

The 285 Alliance is a consortium of mostly northern New Mexico residents who live along U.S. 285 around Santa Fe and Los Alamos. The group advocates frequently for transportation safety in shipping waste through those areas.

Officials at the town hall explained that the Department of Energy works with first responders along the WIPP routes, in towns such as Vaughn and Carlsbad along U.S. 285.

Weehler was unconvinced.

“What if something happened that is not on a transportation route?” she asked. “What if there was a plume of something that carried radioactive material that wasn’t on a transportation route? People don’t know when to evacuate or shelter in place should there be a plutonium release. They need to know that information.”

James Mason, intergovernmental affairs manager with the Department of Energy’s Carlsbad Field Office, said a release was unlikely, but that it would not be “airborne” or able to migrate beyond the immediate area where it would occur.

“We have a high level of confidence in our packaging and that there will not be a release. Should there be a release, this will not be an airborne event,” Mason said. “It may contaminate the ground, but it would not be what we consider airborne.”

‘Legacy waste’ from Los Alamos

The discussion came as shipments from Los Alamos were being debated by the federal government and the New Mexico Environment Department amid a proposed change to the WIPP permit that would require disposal of more waste from within New Mexico.

The proposal, announced April 23 by the state, would require that 55% of waste shipments to the repository come from Los Alamos from 2027 to 2031. The requirement would increase to 75% in 2032.

Under the proposal, all waste currently stored at the surface of Los Alamos must be sent to WIPP by 2028.

A public comment period on the permit modification ended June 22, initiating a mediation period between the state and federal government. If no agreement is reached, a subsequent public hearing will be held before the proposal can be approved.

Deputy Program Manager Ryan Flynn with Salado Isolation Mining Contractors – the contractor hired by the federal government to oversee WIPP operations – said discussions were “ongoing” and he was unsure of when a subsequent hearing would occur.

Flynn said that while the energy department and its contractor understand the intention of the state’s proposal, there were multiple “issues” the permittees raised regarding how the requirement could disrupt shipments from other sites.

“We certainly understand the desire to clean up waste at Los Alamos National Laboratory,” Flynn said.

But he pointed to a letter submitted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 6 Administrator Scott Mason opposing the changes and threatening intervention from President Donald Trump, who the EPA official said could issue a “presidential waiver” to nullify the state rule should it take effect.

“We have issues in the way that the language of the agency-initiated modification was proposed,” Flynn said. “We are also mindful of the EPA’s comments, and we support those comments.”

The facility does “prioritize” legacy waste but also newly generated waste from ongoing nuclear development across the U.S., he said.

One such program is a plan by the Department of Energy to produce plutonium pits – the triggers of nuclear warheads. The plan calls for 80 plutonium pits per year by 2030 – 30 at Los Alamos and 50 at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina.

Cleaning up the waste from such projects was a critical part of WIPP’s “mission,” Flynn said, while mitigating the lingering impacts of past nuclear programs.

“We have both an environmental and a national security mission,” Flynn said. “We are looking to clean up waste that is from the Cold War, but we also need to be able to dispose of waste we are generating from our national defense programs.”

Flynn said WIPP is about 46% full toward its statutory capacity of 6.2 million cubic feet of waste. Officials recently estimated that could mean WIPP will remain open until 2080.

Of the remaining 54% of space left for waste, Flynn said, about 5% was expected to account for legacy waste remaining at Los Alamos, based on current estimates of the volume awaiting disposal.

“So, we have plenty of space for Los Alamos waste left at our facility,” Flynn said.

Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

Future Bulldogs get Friday night feel at youth camp

JT Keith
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Future Bulldogs get Friday night feel at youth camp

The excitement of being a future Bulldog could not be contained.

Eighty kids in Bulldog gear gathered at the top of the Winner’s Ramp, jumping around as they waited to take the field. It was hard for them to pay attention to their coaches as they burst onto the field and waited for Artesia coach Jeremy Maupin to come over and say hello.

A taste of Bulldog Bowl

Artesia football players and coaches ran the camp. Maupin said he met with his team before they took the field and reminded the players what it felt like when they were younger and wanted to be Bulldogs.

“Guys, remember when you were a kid and how much you wanted to be a Bulldog,” Maupin said he told them. “This is your chance to go be that for those kids.”

Maupin said his two daughters went through the camp and loved it, too.

“I just heard a lot of positive things,” Maupin said. “I am really proud of our guys who ran the camp. We want to give them a little taste of being down in Bulldog Bowl, and we even turned on the lights so they get a sense of what it means to play football on a Friday night. It was great. We loved it.”

Community support stands out

Maupin said he loves Artesia and the support the community shows for everything from academics to athletics.

“I love this place,” Maupin said. “This is such a good place to raise kids. I think it is such a unique community, the way we support all of our kids, our academics, our teachers, our administration and each other.”

Carrying the legacy forward

Maupin said he feels honored to be in charge of the program, to lead it and to fill the shoes of those who came before him. He said he wants to make sure he is doing them proud while honoring past players, coaches and administrators.

“I want to continue to make this place better,” Maupin said. “In 50 years, when I am dead and gone, I hope people look back and see that I helped make this place better and tried to continue the legacy of Artesia. I hope the next guy does the same thing, and the next guy, and that it continues forever.”

David Grousnick: Only four words

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David Grousnick: Only four words

A man was headed up to bed one night, when his wife told him that he’d left the light on in their shed. She said she could see it from the bedroom window. He told her he hadn’t been in the shed that day. However, when he looked out the window, he saw that there were indeed people in the shed, likely stealing things.

So, he phoned the police. The officer told him that there was no one in his area and consequently, there was no one available to respond to the call.

He said “OK,” hung up, counted to 30 and called the police again.

And he said, “Hello. I called a few seconds ago because there were people in my shed. Well, you don’t have to worry about them now. I’ve just shot them all.”

Within five minutes there were half a dozen police cars in the area, quite a force full response and the burglars were caught red-handed.

One officer said to the man, “I thought you said you’d shot them!”

And he replied, “I thought you said there was no one available!”

Sometimes you just feel like you need to get somebody’s attention any way you can. There are times when you feel like you want to grab somebody by the collar and shake them until they wake up and notice what’s really happening.

What would you think if I told you that on your tombstone would be inscribed a four-word epitaph? You might respond, well, it would depend on who would write this epitaph – an enemy or a loved one. It might also depend, you might say, on how well this person knew and understood you.

If a newspaper critic wrote of a concert pianist the four words: “He was a failure,” or “She was a failure”, you could always say: Well, that was his opinion. But if one of the world’s great musicians wrote, “He was a genius,” or “She was a genius”, then you are apt to take the remark more seriously.

There was a person in Matthew 15:21-28 who was described by Jesus with four immortal words: “Great is your faith”. She was a Canaanite woman who came from the country to the north of Palestine, a country hostile to the Jews. She was presumably married and had at least one child, but that’s all we know about her.

We don’t know whether she was a good woman or a bad woman. We don’t know her name. All we know of her is that in this single encounter with Jesus he spoke to her this four-word epitaph: “Great is your faith”.

Only four words but they were enough to make her immortal. We can trust these words as being true because the expert on faith spoke them. Jesus searched for faith, as a gem collector would fine jewels. He did not always find it in his disciples.

On no occasion that we know of did he ever say to Peter, James, and John: “Great is your faith”. More often the words he spoke to them were: “You of little faith”. On only one other occasion did Jesus praise a person for their faith. Interestingly, that was a Roman soldier stationed in Capernaum.

We regard this Canaanite woman with more than just an academic interest. She awakens in us a feeling of admiration, perhaps even envy, because she stands where most of us would dearly like to stand!

A householder keeps faith, keeps care, of all those in the household. This is what the Canaanite woman learns from Jesus’ example. And this is what she reveals back to him.

In other words, Jesus “learns” to hear his own words through the ears of her faith. That’s why ultimately Jesus declares, “Woman, great is your faith” – not “You are very clever.”

This is how philosopher Dallas Willard puts it, as he defines exactly what a disciple is: “One of those who have trusted Jesus with their whole life, so far as they understand it. Because they’ve done so, they want to learn everything he has to teach them about life in the kingdom of God now and forever, and they’re constantly with him to learn this. Disciples of Jesus are those learning to be like him” 

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gave his life on the cross so that we might know the love, forgiveness and acceptance of our God. Jesus died for each of us – personally! We shouldn’t ever look at another human being without thinking to ourselves, Jesus died for them, too.

We do a disservice when we jump to conclusions about people because of how they look, where they live or the type of work that they do. We are all equal Jesus’ eyes.

Artesia celebrates public safety personnel, including dispatchers during National Night Out. Here are some highlights

Michael Smith
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Artesia celebrates public safety personnel, including dispatchers during National Night Out. Here are some highlights

During an emergency in Artesia or any other place in Eddy County, a dispatcher with the Regional Emergency Dispatch Authority is the first voice the public hears when placing a call for a law enforcement officer or first responder.

On the night of Aug. 4 at the Artesia Aquatic Center, children and adults had a chance to meet the emergency operators in person during National Night Out.

Kirstene Campbell, the finance and human relations manager for the Regional Emergency Dispatch Authority (REDA) was manning a booth at the Artesia Aquatic Center, handing out information and answering questions from residents attending the free event.

“Not many people actually get to see our faces, they sometimes hear our voice,” Campbell said. “Being able to be here, (shows) the face behind the voice and lets them know that we’re approachable people.”

REDA joined the Artesia Police Department, the Artesia Fire Department, Eddy County Fire and Rescue, Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, and Native Air Ambulance for a night of free swimming, food and fun with public service and public safety personnel.

Campbell said events like National Night Out allows the public to meet those who are the first line in an emergency.

“It means quite a bit to talk to people and have them understand a little bit more about what we do,” she said. “They have an opportunity to ask us questions and maybe get clarification on a few things and we can better educate the kids as well.”

Campbell and co-worker Caitlyn Bishop passed out goody bags that had useful information for emergency situations, like a coloring book and color-changing pencils.

“We also put in the bag a pamphlet for Smart 9-1-1, which is a program we like to come out and talk to people about,” Campbell said.

Campbell said REDA is the emergency dispatch center for most of Eddy County. The City of Carlsbad has its own emergency system for police and fire protection and emergency medical services (EMS).

Formed nationwide in 1984 as a way for the public to interact with emergency and law personnel, National Night Out offers safety demonstrations, seminars, and youth events, according to the National Night Out website.

Artesia’s interim police chief Pete Quinones said the first National Night Out in Artesia was celebrated in August of 2011 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Park.

“We participated there for several years before staffing shortages and the COVID-19 pandemic caused interruptions,” he said.

Quinones said the events restarted in 2024 at Starbucks at 1905 W. Main St. It was held at the coffee chain’s parking lot until last year. The event was held at the Artesia Aquatic Center this year with help from the Eddy County DWI Advisory Council, he said.

Follow Mike Smith on Instagram @mikesmithartesianm.

U.S. 380 pavement rehabilitation to begin east of Roswell

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U.S. 380 pavement rehabilitation to begin east of Roswell

Single-lane closures with a pilot car from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.


A $1.74 million roadway rehabilitation project on U.S. 380 east of Roswell, is scheduled to begin on Monday, August 17. 

The rehabilitation project extends from milepost 180 to milepost 184.9 and includes a 3-inch mill and fill of the roadway surface and new striping. These improvements will provide a smoother driving surface, extend pavement life, and enhance safety for motorists, according to a news release from the New Mexico Department of Transportation.

Drivers can expect single-lane closures with pilot car operation throughout the duration of the project and working hours. Work will take place Monday through Friday, from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. This project is expected to be completed at the end of August, weather permitting. Drivers are advised to plan accordingly and expect some delay.

Motorists are advised to use caution, observe all signs, and reduce speed for maintenance vehicles and crews, the release read.

Constructors, Inc. has been contracted to complete the work.

“The New Mexico Department of Transportation is committed to the safety of the traveling public and appreciates motorists’ cooperation during this work,” read the release.

For updated information go to New Mexico Department of Transportation at www.nmroads.com or call 511.

Eddy County’s first case of measles was reported in Artesia

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Eddy County’s first case of measles was reported in Artesia

A measles infection was reported in Eddy County about a year after the end of an outbreak that started in southeast New Mexico.

State health officials reported the single infection of an unvaccinated adult on Friday, Aug. 13, bringing the state’s total cases this year to 18.

Thursday’s infection was the first case of the year in Eddy County, following three in Dona Ana and two in Hidalgo. Luna County was leading the state with 12 cases reported, according to state data.

The patient was “most likely” infected out of state but developed symptoms after arriving in New Mexico and reported them while in Eddy County, according to a news release from the New Mexico Department of Health.

Health officials did not release the gender, age or identity of the infected individual.

Others in Eddy County may have been exposed to the patient between Aug. 6 and 10 at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, 1793 N. 13th St. in Artesia, and on Aug. 9 at the Artesia Walmart at 604 N. 26th St., the release read.

Additional exposures may have occurred between 9:15 a.m. on Aug. 10 and 3:50 a.m. on Aug. 11 at the Artesia General Hospital Emergency Room. Individuals present at those locations during the reported times were urged to check their vaccination status and monitor for symptoms.

Symptoms of measles can appear between seven and 21 days after exposure, the release read, and can begin with a fever, cough, runny nose or red eyes. A red-spotted rash will usually begin at the face and spread down onto the body, the release read.

Measles is contagious four days before the rash appears and for four days after.

Before the Eddy County case the most recent infection reported by the health department was on June 1 in a federal inmate at the Luna County Detention Center.

Measles outbreak reported last year

Last year’s outbreak of measles, New Mexico’s largest since 1996, started after a Lea County patient was reported infected on Feb. 14, 2025. It followed a larger outbreak in West Texas, which spilled over the state line.

The last reported New Mexico cases in that outbreak – three infections among adults in Santa Fe County – were reported Aug. 14, 2025, and brought the state’s total last year to 100.

Public health officials said on Sept. 26, 2025, that the state had crossed the 42-day threshold without an infection, which according to state policy meant the end of the outbreak. The time frame represents the maximum incubation period of the measles virus, read a news release from the health department.

Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Chad Smelser said all New Mexicans should check their vaccination status and receive the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination if needed. He said measles remained active throughout the U.S.

“Vaccination is the best tool for protection from measles,” Smelser said.

State maintains vaccine policy despite Trump order

New Mexico was maintaining its childhood vaccination recommendations, including the MMR vaccine, despite an executive order issued Monday, Aug. 10, by President Donald Trump seeking to reduce the number of childhood vaccines from 17 to 11 and alter the schedule for when they are given, read an Aug. 12 news release from the state health department.

The order, titled “Delivering Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations for Americans,” called on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to split the MMR vaccines into three, single-disease vaccines and ordered that all childhood vaccinations be given during separate medical visits.

Trump’s order also called on the attorney general to “take appropriate measures to further meritorious legal actions challenging State laws that conflict with States’ constitutional and Federal statutory obligations related to parental authority, religious freedom, disability accommodations, and equal protection under the law including, to the extent applicable under Federal law, States’ obligations to provide religious and medical exemptions from childhood and adolescent immunization requirements.”

New Mexico health officials said that despite the order they were maintaining guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics, offering the full MMR vaccines and maintaining current recommendations.

New Mexico’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Miranda Durham, argued that measles was currently at a 35-year high throughout the U.S., meaning vaccinations were increasingly needed to protect people from disease.

“Our message remains the same: the science is clear – vaccines are safe, effective and save children’s lives,” Durham said.

Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

Culinary Confidential: The Ultimate Southwest Mashed Potato Bar good for the next family gathering. Here are the steps to make it

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Culinary Confidential: The Ultimate Southwest Mashed Potato Bar good for the next family gathering. Here are the steps to make it

Bruce Lesman

Mashed potatoes are one of the ultimate comfort foods, but they become something truly special when transformed into an interactive Mashed Potato Bar. Perfect for entertaining, this build-your-own feast lets guests customize their potatoes with colorful toppings, savory gravies, and bold Southwest flavors.

Whether you’re hosting a family gathering, game day celebration, or casual dinner party, this mashed potato bar serves ten guests.

Creamy Mashed Potato Base (Serves 10)

8 lb Yukon Gold potatoes

1½ cups butter

2 cups warm heavy cream

8 oz cream cheese

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp roasted garlic puree

Boil, drain, mash, and blend with remaining ingredients until smooth. Keep warm.

10 Creative Southwest Toppings

• Hatch green chile & Pepper Jack

• Smoked brisket

• Green chile carnitas

• Chipotle chicken

• Southwest Street corn

• Mexican chorizo

• Bacon ranch

• Black beans, avocado & pico

• Garlic shrimp

• Grilled steak with Hatch queso

Three Gravies

• Hatch Green Chile Gravy

• Chipotle Brown Gravy

• Creamy Jalapeño Gravy

Favorite Condiments

Sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, Hatch salsa, pickled jalapeños, bacon bits, Cotija, cheddar, Pepper Jack, green onions, cilantro, fried onions, roasted mushrooms, avocado, lime wedges, hot sauces, roasted garlic butter, Hatch queso.

Southwest Beverage Pairings

Sierra Blanca Green Chile Cerveza, mezcal margaritas, prickly pear lemonade, agua fresca, sparkling lime water.

Bruce Lesman writes Culinary Confidential, a weekly food column featured in four Southwest regional newspapers. He previously served as Corporate Food & Beverage Director for Cunard and Seabourn Cruise Lines, Lead Culinary Consultant for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and Vice President of Canyon Ranch Wellness Resorts.

Bulldogs’ offense sets the tone in scrimmage

JT Keith
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Bulldogs’ offense sets the tone in scrimmage

No one saw it coming: Artesia running back Cristian Pando scored on an 8-yard touchdown run against Roswell to cut the Bulldogs’ deficit to 24-17 with 3:24 left in the game.

The run mattered because Pando was filling in for injured all-state running back Bryce Parra. The touchdown helped the Bulldogs win their 33rd state title in the 2025 season.

Fast-forward to the second intra-squad scrimmage Friday, Aug. 7, and the first play from scrimmage saw Pando take a handoff and rush 85 yards for a touchdown. It was not his only long run of the day.

Pando seems to be on a mission to prove it is his time, along with the Bulldogs’ other 35 seniors.

Pando pushes for bigger role

Pando said his goal is to rush for more than 1,500 yards this season.

“I thought Pando had a really good summer,” Maupin said.

Next test comes against Las Cruces

The Bulldogs will practice for their scrimmage against Las Cruces on Thursday before getting ready for the Eddy County War at 7 p.m. Aug. 21.

“I am really happy with where we are coming off this summer,” Maupin said. “I thought we had a good week last week; we just need to continue getting in shape and get used to that hot weather, so we are excited.”

Defense creates momentum

Maupin said he is happy that his defense is swarming to the football, getting through blocks and making big plays. The defense scored three touchdowns on three pick-sixes and added another interception.

“Defensively, we had some big turnovers,” Maupin said. “It was really good to see a different defense playing. There are a lot of good things, but there are things we have to fix that show up on tape before we play Carlsbad.”

Maupin said defensive lineman Bradley Duncan dislocated a finger Thursday and was back playing Friday night. After the scrimmage and after watching film, Maupin said Ivan Chavez had a good scrimmage and Colt Moziejko returned an interception for a touchdown. Ulises Montanez played well at corner, and Elijah Carrisco, who has developed over four years, also had a good game and will play inside linebacker. Maupin said Carrisco had a strong camp and summer.

“It is really good to see these guys have a good summer,” Maupin said. “A lot of people think we reward seniors because they are seniors. To see these guys develop over time and earn the right they have — we don’t play every senior. I think people think that. We don’t. These guys have earned everything they have gotten.”

Offense looks close to breaking through

On offense, Maupin said the Bulldogs are close to hitting some of their vertical passes. They did not connect on them Friday, but he hopes they will when the regular season begins.

Tyler Egeland played running back and had a long run. Maupin said Egeland is a player the Bulldogs have to use this year. Destin Pacheco had a catch, and Layton Whitmire and George Blackburn IV made big plays.

“I thought Egeland has had a really good summer,” Maupin said. “I really thought our offensive line has come along this summer.”

Maupin said many of this year’s players played as much as some of the Bulldogs’ state championship players did in 2025. He said Derrick Warren was in his first year playing, and Parra, who had played other positions, was in his first year at running back. Two slot receivers also had not played much the year before.

“I really think a lot of people think, oh, we are senior heavy,” Maupin said. “But we are senior heavy this year; we have 35 seniors again. A lot of these guys played as much as some of those guys who were really good for us last year. What I love is that these guys believe it is their time, and they want to prove they can do it.”

JT Keith | Artesia Daily Press

An Artesia running back outruns the defense for a touchdown in its scrimmage on Friday at the Bulldog Bowl.

Senior class ready for its turn

Maupin said he remembers watching this group of seniors play seventh-grade football. They have grown, gotten better, and know it is their time to shine.

“I think Lucas (Atkins) had a really good summer at quarterback,” Maupin said.

Maupin said he is excited about this season and told his coaches this spring and summer that this might be one of their favorite teams to coach. Expectations are low, and people do not think the Bulldogs will be good. Now, Maupin said, they get to coach.

“We get to prove ourselves and get after it,” Maupin said. “We know how to develop kids and work in the weight room, and we know how to do things to get kids ready to go. I am excited and have been excited, and I think there is a lot of potential in this group.”

Permian Basin oilfield thieves busted, face fines of $250K and sentencing date to be determined

Adrian Hedden
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Permian Basin oilfield thieves busted, face fines of $250K and sentencing date to be determined

 

An alleged oil smuggling ring in the Permian Basin lead to six people pleading guilty on multiple felonies in a Texas district court.

The thefts involved stealing crude oil from oil and gas facilities in eastern New Mexico, around Hobbs and Carlsbad, and selling it below market rate, including to unknowing midstream oil buyers in Texas.

The guilty pleas were entered July 15 by Gyardo Gonzalez, 47, Mario Mendoza, 40, and Miguel Soto, 41, of Lovington along with Diana Marquez Rojo, 47 and Jesus Martin Hernandez-Borja of Hobbs. Luis Rojo, 51, of Seminole, Texas also pleaded guilty.

All six pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to steal crude oil, according to a news release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.

The five men who agreed to plead guilty face five years in federal prison, while Marquez Rojo agreed to three years for her role in the thefts.

They all face $250,000 fines. Dates for sentencing were not yet set.

In their plea agreements, the group admitted to stealing “10s of thousands” of barrels of crude oil, read the release.

They sold it to 69-year-old Louise George Edgett of Lovington and Brenden Floyd Strickland, 26, of Hobbs, the release read. Both men are also charged but have yet to face trial.

Edgett and Strickland bought the oil “well below” current market rates, read the plea deals, for about $10 to $15 a barrel.

The thefts were reported along with several sales between 2022 and 2024, the release read. In one example, 10,975 barrels between June 2022 and Jul 2024 were sold for $164,625 – $15 a barrel – while it was worth $888,975 on the market.

Another deal saw the thieves steal and sell 9,090 barrels between January and June 2024 and sell it $136,350 while it was worth $724,200 to Edgett and Strickland.

Two other defendants in the case James Darrell Reid, 65, and Randell Reid, 41, of Electra, Texas allegedly bought the oil from Edgett and Strickland, moving the product across the state line to a business in Seminole, Texas where it was sold to unknowing midstream buyers.

The Reids also faced federal charges.

Federal authorities were aided in the investigation by the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Matt Hutchinson said in a social media post that oilfield thefts are widespread in the region, and that his office is focused on dismantling such criminal activity through its participation in the Southeastern New Mexico Oilfield Task Force.

The task force includes the Edd County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Land Management and other state, local and federal agencies, Hutchinson said, “resulting in criminal charges involving hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses and damages.”

“This case highlights the value of the Oilfield Theft Task Force’s partnership and the need for their investigative support,” Hutchinson said.

Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

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