Despite Arrest, St. Alice Fiesta a Welcoming Event

At the door to the Dr. Saul Community Center, a woman sold raffle tickets and made sure that attendees knew that food was being served. A crowd of families gathered in line for food. Others sat, laughing and chatting loudly at the tables. Beneath crepe paper streamers, roughly 96 to 120 people gathered for the St. Alice Roman Catholic Church and Missions Parish Fiestas.

Outside the community center, the town had blocked off North Roosevelt Avenue from Beal Street to the alley that runs past the Municipal Court and United Business Bank. Vendors sold shaved ice, jewelry, sweets, and aguas fresca. On the other side of the police tape used to block off the road, two Torrance County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) SUVs idled.

A man in his late twenties or early thirties, in a high-viz green athletic t-shirt, paced from the entrance to the community center up to the table where steam trays and crock pots held food, then back to the front of the community center. His demeanor was nervous, with an intense, focused gaze, and his walking pace was faster than what most people used when walking at a social event. The man walked back to the west side of the community center (where the stage is located), where he got a plate of food that he took to a table by the entrance on the east side of the community center.

This man in the green shirt turned out to be Jack Borders, 29 years old, and wanted on a bench warrant for failing to appear before the 7th Judicial District on allegations of two counts of burglary, two counts of criminal trespass, and one count of larceny. According to allegations in a complaint filed by TCSO investigator Alex Schwerdel on April 10, 2023, Borders stole clothing and goods valued at less than $250.00 from the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store drop box on multiple occasions between March 29, 2023, and April 5, 2023. Schwerdel, in his sworn complaint, indicated that Borders had been seen engaging in larceny by way of a game camera positioned to record footage of the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store drop box by a  witness. While the witness is known, the Mountainair Dispatch will not identify them until the time of trial. Pending trial, these allegations are not considered substantiated.

TCSO deputies surveilled Borders on the date of the fiesta, waiting until Borders was walking on Beal Street, fifty yards west of the community center, to detain Borders, frisk him, and arrest him. No attendees of the event confirmed witnessing the arrest with the Mountainair Dispatch. While this is based on speculation, the deputies apparently waited to arrest Borders until he was a safe distance from fiesta attendees.