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By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Ten Flock Safety cameras sat stacked in the bed of a Rio Rancho man’s pickup after he admittedly removed them and livestreamed the act online. Now, he faces felony charges and says the removal was a political statement.
Deputies stopped Jevon Martinez, 44, yesterday, Sept. 2, in his Ford F-350 outside the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office at 400 Roma Ave. NW. Martinez was driving with illegal “Diplomat” plates. Deputies found 10 Flock Safety camera setups, including solar panels and mounting poles, stacked in the truck bed. Martinez had also livestreamed himself removing the equipment on social media.
According to the complaint, Martinez admitted to dismantling the equipment as a “political statement” and claimed he was going to return them to the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office because the Flock Safety systems were being canceled by the county. Detectives noted that he drove past the sheriff’s headquarters three times without stopping before deputies pulled him over.
The complaint states each camera is worth $1,650, putting the total value at $16,500. Martinez was booked into the Metro Detention Center on felony charges including attempted larceny over $2,500 and interference with communications. The arrest follows an earlier case in Rio Rancho, where police accused Martinez of damaging three Flock Safety cameras and removing their solar panels in May. Police estimated the damage at about $20,000. Martinez was arrested in that case and charged with nine felonies, including larceny, criminal damage to property and tampering with evidence.
Judge Claire McDaniel is scheduled to hold preliminary proceedings tomorrow, Sept. 4, in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court.