CLOVIS, NM — Clovis police say a gun investigation that started with an 18-year-old suspect ended with 17 firearms seized and two men arrested after search warrants were carried out in Clovis, Portales and Roosevelt County.
Detectives first executed a warrant Sept. 16 at an apartment in the 2100 block of North Mitchell Street. The case centered on the unlawful possession of a firearm by Christopher Chavez, 18, and investigators said the inquiry later widened as they identified other suspects.
Police said the later warrants were tied to the unlawful possession and transfer of guns. The investigation led to the activation of the Major Crimes Unit.
Christopher Chavez faces handgun, sale and cocaine charges after Clovis apartment search
According to Clovis police, Chavez was arrested after the Sept. 16 search on charges of unlawful possession of a handgun by a person under 19, unlawful sale of a firearm and possession of cocaine.
He was booked into the Curry County Adult Detention Center. Police did not say in the release what prompted the initial attention on Chavez beyond the investigation into unlawful possession of a firearm.
The apartment search was the first step in what became a broader multi-location case. Investigators later connected the matter to people in Portales, which is about 40 miles southeast of Clovis, and obtained additional search warrants.
Detectives recover weapons in Portales and Roosevelt County on Sept. 17 and 18
Police said search warrants executed Sept. 17 and Sept. 18 at two residences in Portales and Roosevelt County resulted in the recovery of 17 firearms. The agency has not released a detailed inventory of the guns.
The seizures came after investigators expanded the case from the original Clovis apartment. Clovis police said the additional suspects were identified in Portales before the Major Crimes Unit became involved.
By the end of the searches, officers had recovered the firearms across multiple locations in eastern New Mexico. The case now includes allegations of unlawful possession, unlawful transfer and illegal buying on behalf of other people.
Police say Cruz Miguel Villegas bought guns for others in straw purchases
Investigators identified Cruz Miguel Villegas, 23, as a suspect in the broader gun case. Police said Villegas bought firearms for other people, a practice known as a straw purchase.
Villegas was arrested on four counts of unlawful purchase or transfer of a firearm for another and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was held at the Roosevelt County Adult Detention Center.
A straw purchase generally refers to a person buying a gun for someone else who is not the actual purchaser. In this case, Clovis police said the conduct involved firearms that were later seized during the search warrants.
Both suspects were booked into county detention centers after separate arrests
Chavez and Villegas were taken to different county detention facilities after their arrests. Chavez was booked into the Curry County Adult Detention Center, while Villegas was held in the Roosevelt County Adult Detention Center.
The police department has not said whether the two men were arrested on the same day or whether additional arrests are possible. The case remains connected to the recovery of 17 firearms and the investigation into illegal transfer of guns.
Authorities have also not said whether any of the seized weapons were linked to other crimes. For now, the case rests on the charges announced by Clovis police and the warrants served in two counties.
Clovis police ask for tips as the firearms case remains open
Clovis police are asking anyone with information about the illegal gun purchases to come forward. People can call the department at 575-769-1921, submit an anonymous tip through Tip411 or contact Curry County Crime Stoppers at 575-763-7000.
The department’s request suggests investigators are still building the case after the searches in Clovis, Portales and Roosevelt County. Police have not said whether they believe more people were involved in buying, transferring or possessing the firearms.
The investigation highlights how a single firearm case can broaden quickly once detectives begin tracing who actually bought the guns and who was expected to possess them.