Las Cruces teen charged after he posted photos of himself with a gun on Instagram

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- A Las Cruces teenager is charged with illegally receiving a gun while under indictment. Investigators say they tracked him down from photos posted on social media.

Court documents state that on August 31, 2025, deputies were trying to find the people involved in a shooting that left one person injured. The patient was dropped off at a local hospital. He or she was suffering from a gunshot wound. Through their investigation, deputies tracked down a car believed to have been connected with the incident. The owner allowed detectives to search the car, and they found a loaded handgun allegedly belonging to Anthony Jacob Lopez, 19, in the backseat.

Detectives then turned to Instagram, finding multiple photos and videos of Lopez with the same gun on his account. His Instagram messages recorded a conversation in which someone offered to sell Lopez the gun for $600, federal prosecutors say. They add that Lopez allegedly bought the gun on July 18, 2025.

Lopez was sentenced for Smuggling of Persons in Texas in March 2025 and is currently on supervised release. His probation conditions prohibit him from owning a gun.

"Under federal law, Lopez is considered under indictment until he successfully completes his deferred sentence," federal prosecutors explained. "Lopez is charged with receiving a firearm while under indictment. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison."