Curry inmate moved to state Department of Corrections

CLOVIS -- A Clovis man facing multiple allegations of assaults upon peace officers was moved Wednesday to the care of the Department of Corrections.

Adrian Loya, 27, was moved by the Curry County Sheriff's Department to the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Los Lunas following a Wednesday morning order approved by District Judge Drew Tatum.

Mark Gallegos, administrator for the Curry County Adult Detention Center, declined to discuss the order until Wednesday out of concerns for the safety of his employees. He said he requested to move Loya to the DOC following an alleged June 7 incident with detention officers and then worked to expedite the process after another altercation on Sunday with an officer performing rounds.

"That's one thing we will not put up with, any violence on our officers," said Gallegos, who denied claims he said the public made that the officer struck Loya.

Loya had been at the CCADC since March 7. According to court records he is facing three cases that include battery upon a peace officer between February and June. The third, filed June 10, alleged he punched a detention officer with a closed fist. Charges stemming from the alleged weekend incident had not yet appeared in court records on Wednesday.

Gallegos said it is his understanding that with Loya in Los Lunas, his hearings will either be held virtually or combined into one session to reduce transport issues.

Assistant District Attorney Arwen Gaddis handled the order for the state. Court records indicate Loya's attorney, Ben Herrmann, did not oppose the motion. Herrmann was participating in a different hearing when contacted Wednesday by The News and wasn't immediately available for comment.

Gallegos said the officer Loya allegedly attacked over the weekend is expected to return to work Sunday, following what Gallegos said were a few days off to decompress.