LCPD: Man held 16-year-old girlfriend against her will, pointed shotgun at girl’s friend

Police in Las Cruces arrested a man accused of holding his 16-year-old girlfriend against her will and pointing a shotgun at her teenage friend.

20-year-old Juan Fernando Rendon, of the 1600 block of Ralph Drive, is charged with Child Abuse, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, False Imprisonment and Battery Against a Household Member.

Investigators learned that about 6 a.m. Sunday, August 5, 2018, Rendon’s 16-year-old girlfriend arrived at Rendon’s residence and fell asleep. The girl told investigators she woke up around 10 a.m. and wanted to leave, so she sent a text to her 16-year-old friend asking for a ride.

The 16-year-old friend told investigators she arrived at Rendon’s home and saw that he was upset with his girlfriend and didn’t want her to leave. Investigators said Rendon retrieved a shotgun, charged the weapon and pointed it at the friend.

Rendon’s girlfriend also indicated she was physically battered and restrained during the incident. Police said the girlfriendappeared to have bruises to her left thigh consistent with her accounts of being battered.

The two girls were able to run to a neighbor’s home where they called police.

When he spoke with investigators, Rendon acknowledged to owning two BB guns but denied having a shotgun in the residence. Rendon gave investigators consent to search his residence where they found a black shotgun inside a bedroom closet.

Rendon was arrested Sunday morning and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he is initially being held without bond.