A federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for New Mexico accuses a corrections officer of drawing crude images on an inmate’s body and face while he was sleeping at the Roosevelt County Adult Detention Center in Portales over two years ago.
Allegations of Abuse
Chris Christensen, an attorney representing inmate Edward Alonzo, described the alleged behavior as egregious. The lawsuit alleges that corrections officer Julian Vargas drew male genitalia on Alonzo’s body multiple times, targeting him after learning he was gay.
The detention center has not confirmed Vargas’ termination, but county payroll records show his last recorded salary was in 2024, the year Christensen said he was fired. The lawsuit argues violations of the Prison Rape Elimination Act and the Civil Rights Act due to the officer’s alleged behavior.
John Day, a legal expert, explained that federal prosecutors could potentially pursue hate crime charges if the accused is found liable during the civil suit. Christensen indicated that pursuing hate crime charges remains a possibility.
Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.
