Five Teens Charged In Monday Las Cruces Burglary

A tip from a neighbor led to the arrest of five teenagers who broke into and burglarized a home in west Las Cruces Monday afternoon.

Dominic A. Nieto, 15, Isaac Chaparro, 16, and 17-year-olds Benjamin J. Smith, Joseph Fass and Mario Gonzales were located by Las Cruces Police shortly after the alert neighbor called 911 to report witnessing the crime in progress. The boys were caught after they ran from the home and into a desert area in the neighborhood.

Nieto, Chaparro, Fass and Gonzales were charged with one count each of residential burglary, larceny over $500 and conspiracy. Smith was charged with one count each of conspiracy, and resisting or obstructing an officer after he became disorderly at the Las Cruces Police Department.

Shortly before 2 p.m. on Monday, April 25, Las Cruces Police were dispatched to the home on the 2400 block of Sonrisa Loop. As officers were responding to the call they were told the juveniles left the home and were running through a desert area.

Police learned that the teens took several electronic gaming consoles, two DVD players, a cell phone and costume jewelry from the home.

Nieto, Chaparro and Smith were incarcerated at the Dona Ana County Detention Center ‘s juvenile facility. Fass and Gonzalez were originally turned over to the custody of adult relatives, but Monday evening Fass got into a heated verbal disagreement with a parent who reported it to police. Fass is now being held at the detention center.