An Aztec mother is set to be arraigned on bribery charges that led to crimes against her son being dismissed, while the son may be entering a plea agreement soon.
Angela Lucero, 47, will be arraigned Monday in front of 11th Judicial District Judge Stephen Wayne. She is charged with two third-degree felony counts of bribery of a witness.
It is alleged Lucero offered $1,000 to two victims of a Jan. 17 home invasion in the 1100 block of Smith Lane, for which her son Alex Arnold was charged with three counts of second-degree felony armed robbery and one count of second-degree felony aggravated burglary.
Arnold allegedly pistol-whipped Tyler Dougherty and robbed Kayla Write, reportedly taking “a pit bull puppy, a television, a laptop computer, bicycles, and other miscellaneous property,” the affidavit for arrest warrant said.
However, on May 6, 11th Judicial District Judge Curtis Gurley discharged the case against Arnold, finding “there is no probable cause to believe the charged offenses were committed and that the defendant committed the charges,” according to Gurley’s order.
This came after Dougherty and Write testified in the preliminary hearing that they were robbed by “random people” and did not remember enough of the details to testify as to who committed the crimes, according to court records.
Lucero was arrested five days later on May 11, and she was charged with bribing Dougherty and Write so they would not testify against Arnold.
Defense Attorney Arlon Stoker appeared in court Monday on behalf of Arnold and reported to Gurley that a plea agreement could be forthcoming for charges of possession of a controlled substance, aggravated fleeing of a law enforcement officer, conspiracy to commit trafficking of a controlled substance and trafficking of a controlled substance.
“He’s aware of that charge and the ramifications from it,” Stoker said, regarding the trafficking charge. “I’d like to get this moving.”
The 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office had given Arnold a plea agreement on possession and aggravated fleeing charges, but Stoker said his client picked up three additional charges and there was “a good chance he violated his probation.”
The original plea deal is no longer valid, according to Stoker, who said, “I’m trying to work out a global plea, calling the DA to see if we can make an amicable resolution to this.”
Stoker also requested the judge revoke Arnold’s condition of release so he could be eligible for time served while being held in the San Juan County Detention Center.
“He’s in jail and gonna stay there,” Stoker said, adding, “he’s going to be in jail a while.”
Judge Gurley set a status conference for Arnold on Sept. 8, and told Stoker, “If there is not something worked out by then, I will be setting the probation matters.”
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