Man charged with having gun, bong

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — A 20-year-old Grants man was arrested Saturday in connection with shooting a 9 mm handgun out an apartment window.

Joshua Bearden, of 1416 Encino, was arrested about 2:45 a.m., at the Grants Apartments in C Building following a call to police that shots were fired, according to Cibola County Magistrate Court records. When police arrived outside the apartment, they could hear people arguing and several people moving inside the apartment, court records state.

Several shell casings were found in the north bedroom of the apartment, in addition to a green and clear glass marijuana bong, court records state.

Bearden was also charged in connection with possession of drug paraphernalia and possess of marijuana, less than 1 ounce, court records state.

“Mr. Bearden’s girlfriend had left a party earlier that night with a couple of other guys and he became angry,” Grants Police Detective Moses Marquez said.

“When he saw her getting out of a car at the apartment, he started shooting,” he said.

There were no holes in the apartment building and none of the people from the car said he was shooting at them, so the negligent use charge was all that was filed,” Marquez said.

The handgun was not stolen, but Bearden will not get it back, he said.

“It is illegal in New Mexico for anyone under the age of 21 to have a handgun,” he said.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 287-2197 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com