Grand Jury indictments include child abuse

By Mike Marino
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — The Cibola County Grand Jury recently handed down indictments including cruelty to children, abuse of an animal, and assault of member of law enforcement.

In an indictment handed down on May 16, Tomas Aragon was charged with four counts that included marijuana possession and child abuse. In the indictment, Aragon has three counts of intentional child abuse in an incident that happened on January 14, 2007. It is alleged that Aragon had three children under the age of eighteen in a vehicle that also contained 51.5 grams of methamphetamine. One count for is for each child, and all are considered third degree felonies. In a fourth count lodged against him, Aragon is charged with possessing one ounce or less of marijuana in the same incident, a petty misdemeanor.

Also on May 16, the grand jury handed down an indictment against Derrick Hechilay for one count of extreme cruelty to animals for an incident that happened on April 12, 2007. It is alleged Hechilay intentionally or maliciously killed, tortured, mutilated, injured or poisoned an animal, which is considered a fourth degree felony.

A third grand jury indictment was handed down on May 16 for Tracie Vallo for battery on a peace officer. Vallo is charged with attacking Sgt. Gilber Gonzales of the Grants Police Department in an incident that occurred on March 25, 2007 in Cibola County. It is considered a fourth degree felony.

The district grand jury meets regularly, usually on Wednesdays, and hears evidence presented by prosecuting attorneys from the 13th Judicial District Attorneys Office. Members of the grand jury then decide whether or not to return a "true bill," another term for indictment, which is then placed into the individual's criminal file in district court.