Grand jury indicts Jesse Hanes on federal firearms, carjacking charges

A federal grand jury indicted Jesse Hanes on carjacking and fire arm charges Wednesday.

Hanes, accused of shooting and killing Hatch Police Officer Jose Chavez, appeared in U.S. District Court in Las Cruces.

The five-count indictment filed Tuesday afternoon charges the 38-year-old with attempted carjacking, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, a judge ordered Hanes be detained pending trial, stating he’s a flight risk and danger to the community.

The indictment adds two additional charges not previously stated in the criminal complaint. The new charges allege Hanes used force and violence while attempting to carjack a vehicle. It also states Hanes showed a gun during the carjacking.

If convicted, the maximum prison sentence for the carjacking charge is 25 years in federal prison, 5 years supervised probation, and a $250,000 fine.

The maximum sentence for the discharging of a firearm charge is 10 years in federal prison; for being a felon in possession of a firearm, it’s 10 years in federal prison, 2 years supervised probation, and a $250,000 fine.

In addition to the federal charges, Hanes is charged with willful and deliberate first degree murder under the state of New Mexico. He also faces an unrelated murder charge in Ohio.