Burglars arrested in Grants

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Jonathan Salazar, 19, of 1318 Johnson, has been charged in connection with a commercial burglary of the Movie Gallery.

Salazar faces one count each of: Commercial burglary, receiving stolen property, possession of burglary tools, conspiracy to commit a crime and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, all felonies.

He faces up to 7 1/2 years in state prison and a fine of up to $25,000, if prosecuted and convicted of all five charges.

His brother, Curtis Salazar, 13, — who was arrested at the same time, in the early morning hours of June 4 — faces the same charges but will go through Children’s Court and possibly face a district judge on the same charges if the Children’s Court attorney decides to prosecute, Lemuel Martinez, 13th Judicial District Attorney said.

It is possible that the younger brother will not face the same charges because he is a juvenile, Martinez said.

Curtis Salazar was found with a flat-head screwdriver in the pocket of a jacket and had a green duffel bag over his shoulder when police found him and his brother appearing to be looking into the windows of Sanchez Street Wear, at 109 W. Stephens, some time after the initial call to the Movie Gallery burglary, Cibola County Magistrate Court records state.

The Movie Gallery was burglarized about 12:15 a.m., and several DVD movies were stolen, court records state.
The stolen movies were found in the green duffel bag Curtis Salazar was holding. The DVDs had Movie Gallery labels and bar codes on them, court records state.

The Salazars told police they had found the duffel bag in the road and Curtis Salazar admitted to officers he had broken a window at the Movie Gallery, court records state.

After the brothers were taken to Grants Police Department, Jonathan Salazar was booked into custody in the Cibola County Detention Center.

Curtis Salazar was not booked into a juvenile detention center because no beds were available, police said.

He was released to his parents through the Juvenile Probation Department.

Jonathan Salazar faces a preliminary hearing on June 23 in Magistrate Court.