Courts Continue To Release Criminals As Crime Rises

BBANM News:
 
ALBUQUERQUE â€” Albuquerque is ranked #1 for stolen vehicles, but the criminals know if you get arrested here, you will be released the next day.
 
In the case of Yamilet Urias, she was arrested with 12 pounds of meth, has no relations in New Mexico, received a low-risk assessment, lied to the police and courts about where she was from, and was released from jail a day after she was arrested, on her own recognizance – no assurance she will ever come back to court. 
 
After doing a quick Facebook search for her, she is actually from Los Angeles, Calif., and was probably coming here to sell the drugs or passing through to sell elsewhere. No doubt, she is back in California and will not be showing up to her court date. 
 
This is a very common example of what is happening in our criminal justice system with the low risk assessment score with pre-trial services, which justifies an unsecured bond (promise to return to court) or release on recognizance.
 
In this case, the officer found Ms. Urias driving a stolen car in addition to 12 pounds of meth hidden. The officer arrested and booked her into MDC and the next day Ms. Urias appeared before Judge Courtney Weaks.
 
Pre-trial services told the Judge that the defendant has no ties to New Mexico, no criminal history, and gave her a very low risk assessment score. The assistant District Attorney further reported that she has no ties and advised Judge Weaks that the defendant had 12 pounds of meth hidden in the stolen car. The Judge agreed with the low risk assessment score, did not appear to be bothered by the meth, and released her on her own recognizance. 

Can you imagine the street value of 12 pounds of meth, not to mention the value of the car? Most importantly, by releasing this defendant on her own recognizance removes all incentive to show up to court. She has no reason to return for her day in court.

This happens everyday thanks to the risk assessment tool and pre-trial services.

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