Police seek suspect in convenience store robbery

Clovis police are searching for a male who store personnel said used a revolver to commit an armed robbery about 10:50 p.m. Thursday at the Allsup’s on 2600 West Seventh Street.

According to police reports, a Hispanic male about 5-feet-8 in height with black hair in a buzz-cut style came into the store, wearing a blue bandana around his face, brandished a revolver with about a 6-inch barrel, and ordered the clerk to “give me all of your money right now.”

The clerk said she gave him $20 in ones and $15 in fives.

A review of the security tape provided a good image of the man and the clerk said that based on his voice she thought he was a regular customer and she would recognize his voice if he returned.

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Ninth Judicial District Attorney Brett Carter said Friday evening that a Curry County grand jury returned an indictment Friday charging that Mark Madrid, 21, of Clovis, committed murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and tampering with evidence.

The case stems from a March 22 shooting on the 800 block of North Oak in which Porfirio Gonzales and Ernic Perez were both shot. Gonzales died at the scene of multiple gunshot wounds; Perez was treated for a gunshot wound to the leg and released.

Carter said Madrid was arrested shortly after the incident and remained in the Curry County Adult Detention Center on a $250,000 cash bond.

Madrid’s attorney, Joseph Campbell of Albuquerque, could not immediately be reached for comment.

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George Ford, 28, of Clovis, received the maximum sentence of 2 1/2 years in state prison on Wednesday from District Judge Joe Parker for child luring, according to 9th Judicial District Attorney Brett Carter.

Ford was accused following an investigation by the New Mexico State Police in which they were alerted that Ford was surfing the Internet and trying to meet young women. According to Carter, an undercover state police officer posing as a 14-year-old contacted Ford via the Internet, made arrangements to meet at a local car wash, and discussed having sex in the back of his truck. Officers set up surveillance and when Ford arrived, the officers approached Ford who ran a short distance before being taken into custody.

Carter said Ford would normally have received an 18-month sentence, but the charge was enhanced to 2 1/2 years because Ford has a prior felony conviction for criminal sexual penetration of a minor.

According to court records, Ford pleaded guilty in 1997 to three counts of criminal sexual penetration of a child 13 to 16 years old, received an 18-month suspended sentence, and was placed on 4 1/2 years probation. He was granted early release from probation in April 2000 and was declared to have satisfactorily completed the terms of his probation.

Parker ordered that Ford register as a sex offender upon his release from the New Mexico Department of Corrections.

Curry County Adult Detention Center officials said Ford was still in their custody. No defense attorney was listed for him in online court records.

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A woman who yelled “shoot him” was found guilty Monday by a Curry County jury of accessory to aggravated assault, accessory to aggravated robbery, and accessory to shooting at a motor vehicle resulting in personal injury, according to 9th Judicial District Attorney Brett Carter.

Lori Mascarenas, 39, faces a mandatory one-year term in state prison because a firearm was used, and could receive up to 9 1/2 years in connection with an Oct. 7, 2003, incident in which Carter said Mascarenas encouraged a third person to shoot Juan Villareal. Carter said that under New Mexico law, a person can be charged as an accessory to a crime if the person helps, encourages or causes the crime to be committed.

Judge Teddy Hartley ordered a pre-sentence report before final sentencing of Mascarenas.

Curry County Adult Detention Center officials said Mascarenas is not currently in their jail. No phone listing for Mascarenas was found in local directories.

Cops and Courts is compiled by CNJ staff writer Darrell Todd Maurina. He can be contacted at 763-6991 or:

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