Portales man sentenced to 19 ½ years in prison

A Portales man last week pleaded guilty to multitude felonies, including abuse of a child and four counts of battery on a peace officer.

Alfonso Villareal Perez, 29, on May 28 was sentenced to 19 ½ years in prison for his involvement in two separate incidents, according to a news release from District Attorney Quentin Ray.

Perez was accused of beating a 7-year-old child with a belt on Feb. 13, 2022, leaving “dark purple bruises all over the child’s buttocks, ear, head, arms, and legs” days after the incident, prosecutors said.

While awaiting trial on the child-abuse charge, officials allege Perez attacked detention officers in the Portales jail.

“He struck all three officers and continued to fight despite the attempted use of a taser …,” the news release stated.

Perez was sentenced as a habitual offender, the release stated, meaning he will serve at least 85% of his sentence.