Trial moved in pageant fraud case

CLOVIS — The trial for a Roosevelt County man accused of defrauding the Miss New Mexico pageant has been moved to April in Clovis.

The trial for Greg Smith, 57, of Elida, was previously scheduled to begin Wednesday.

The defense and prosecution were in court Tuesday afternoon, with defense filing a motion to dismiss a racketeering charge, one of 18 charges levied against Smith.

The other charges are two counts of fraud, two counts of tax evasion, conspiracy to commit falsifying election documents, five counts of issuing a worthless check and seven counts of embezzlement — five between $500 and $2,500 and two between $2,500 and $20,000.

An investigation from the state attorney general’s office alleges Smith — who led the Miss New Mexico Scholarship Organization from 2015 to 2018 — overcharged and uncompensated pageant contestants and used those dollars to further his ranching business.

Attempts to contact Smith and his attorney, Justine Fox-Young, were unsuccessful.

District Judge Matt Chandler said he anticipated making a ruling on the motion to dismiss by Aug. 7, then put the court into recess.

Smith’s trial, originally Wednesday to Aug. 7, is now set for April 19-30. The trial length was requested last September by prosecutor Andrew Coffing, who noted his prosecution includes more than 40 factual witnesses.