Taos—An 8th Judicial District judge on Monday denied a request by Tranquelino Benito Romero, a Taos High School graduate, for an emergency furlough that would have allowed him to assist the mother of his expected child after birth. Judge Jeffrey Shannon said he needs an affidavit from the mother detailing the specific help required before considering any release.
Background and charges
Romero is accused of sexually assaulting two female students on the Taos High School campus in 2017 and 2018. A federal lawsuit alleging the Taos Municipal Schools failed to protect those students is scheduled for trial in Albuquerque in May 2027.
He also faces a series of recent criminal allegations, including a police pursuit in Taos last December, possession of a stolen firearm in Mora County, and an August charge of allegedly striking and strangling a girlfriend. He has been held without bond since October 1.
Request for release
Public defender Aleksandar Kostich filed a motion on October 30 asking the court to allow Romero to attend the birth and “assist the mother following childbirth” either through an emergency furlough or by reinstating his prior release conditions. Kostich argued that Romero’s perspective had changed while incarcerated.
Pretrial services officer John Vaughn reported that Romero has violated his release conditions six times across two cases, most of which stem from new charges. Assistant District Attorney Jason Montclare highlighted a pattern of recidivism, including felony criminal damage to a resident’s property, a serious alleged domestic‑violence incident, and possession of a stolen firearm.
Judge’s reasoning
Judge Shannon said, “I have no indication or evidence that the child probably needed his assistance before she had the kid,” and emphasized the need for concrete proof that the mother requires Romero’s help. He noted the lack of any demonstrated responsible behavior that would make Romero’s presence around a child a positive factor.
At a hearing on November 1, the woman who was the alleged victim of the domestic‑violence incident told the court she was not opposed to Romero’s release, stating, “I don’t believe that he would be a danger to me.” However, no affidavit has been filed as of November 11, and the judge reiterated that without such documentation, the emergency furlough request will remain denied.
Upcoming court dates
Romero is scheduled to appear for a jury trial on November 30 in the 8th Judicial District Court, facing charges that include leaving the scene of an accident, fleeing law enforcement, driving under the influence, reckless driving, two counts of criminal damage to property over $1,000, and eight counts of negligent use of a deadly weapon while intoxicated.
The case stems from a December 30, 2025 police pursuit that ended with Romero crashing a truck into a gas meter, fleeing the scene, and later being stopped after driving through a neighbor’s gate. Taos police and county sheriff’s deputies recovered firearms and a bag of cocaine from the vehicle. Romero was briefly released pending trial on March 3, 2025, before being re‑arrested on the later domestic‑violence allegations.
Original reporting: Taos News — read the source article.
