Kidnapping suspect arrested

MILAN, N.M. – After escaping her alleged captor, a woman made her way to the Village of Milan Police Department and alerted officers that she had been kidnapped.

Officers Ryan Salazar and Josh Pacheco helped the female victim as much as they could, learning the gruesome details of her captivity, and learning the location of the house she was allegedly held in. The victim, identified her captor as Jesse De-Herrera, 40, of Milan. The Village of Milan quickly compiled enough evidence to acquire a search and arrest warrant for De-Herrera and his property.

Grants Police Department had an active warrant for De-Herrera where he was wanted for Aggravated Battery (Misdemeanor) (No great bodily harm), and Bribery of a Witness (Offers Bribe – Testimony), Bernalillo County had a warrant out for De-Herrera’s arrest as well, where they declared DeHerrera to be both armed and dangerous. Taking these warrants and the severity of the alleged kidnapping into consideration, MPD decided to increase its numbers and arrest DeHerrera.

MPD reached out to the Cibola County Sheriff’s Office, where Cibola County Sheriff Tony Mace, Undersheriff Mike Munk, and the dedicated team of CCSO joined forces with MPD to arrest DeHerrera.

The woman was allegedly held at a house on 1328 Willow Drive in Milan. As officers approached the house in the early morning of November 28, they found security cameras across the property. CCSO had 11 deputies at the ready, standing with five of MPD’s committed officers.

The joint operation called out for DeHerrera to surrender himself to the police. Officers detected no movement inside the house, giving cause for CCSO agents to breach the door. As agents approached the building, they found steel doors which had to be pried open with a crowbar.

Agents made entrance to the residence and arrested De-Herrera, who was compliant with demands by police. He was booked into the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan.

Sergeant Joe Galindo, MPD Public Information Officer, thanked CCSO for their assistance in arresting DeHerrera. He said that the combined force of MPD officers and CCSO deputies helped keep all law enforcement personnel safe, and increased the safety of citizens in the area.

Sgt. Galindo said thanked Officers Salazar and Pacheco for their productive policework which helped the department secure an arrest and search warrant. He said that the two officers saw the situation through from the beginning all the way to arrest.

“Our young officers are proactive. They saw this through completely, we’re proud of our young officers,” Sgt. Galindo said.