A Farmington criminal sexual contact case filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court outlines allegations stemming from a late-night gathering at a Farmington residence and a subsequent police investigation that included witness interviews, a hospital interview, and the execution of a search warrant. Court records identify Michael John Buckley-Nix, 22, as the defendant named in the case.

According to a sworn arrest warrant affidavit, the reporting party told investigators she had gone to sleep after spending the evening at a residence on Alder Street and later awoke believing she had been subjected to non-consensual sexual contact while asleep. Farmington police were contacted in the early morning hours of January 3 and began an investigation that expanded as additional information and evidence were obtained.

Farmington criminal sexual contact investigation

The affidavit states officers first responded to the residence before the reporting party was transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center, where a detailed interview was conducted. Investigators documented that the reporting party appeared emotionally distressed while recounting the incident and provided a timeline of events from the evening through the early morning hours.

Detectives interviewed individuals who had been present at the residence earlier in the night in an effort to establish who was there, where people slept, and what occurred after others went to bed. Based on the information gathered, police sought and were granted a search warrant for the residence.

During the search, investigators recovered women’s underwear from inside a safe located in Buckley-Nix’s bedroom, according to court records. The affidavit notes the item became a focus of the investigation due to statements provided by both the reporting party and the defendant.

Defendant statements and evidence

Court records state Buckley-Nix initially denied engaging in any sexual contact with the reporting party and claimed the underwear found in the safe belonged to a former girlfriend. Investigators documented that Buckley-Nix stated the item had never been worn and had no connection to the allegations.

However, the affidavit indicates detectives later confronted Buckley-Nix with inconsistencies and forensic information. According to investigators, Buckley-Nix subsequently acknowledged possession of the underwear for personal reasons and admitted to conduct that differed from his earlier denials, while continuing to dispute parts of the reporting party’s account.

Investigators also documented statements regarding attempts to conceal or secure the item, which prosecutors later cited as part of the basis for an additional charge related to evidence handling.

Charges filed in magistrate court

Based on interviews, physical evidence, and investigative findings, law enforcement requested an arrest warrant for multiple charges, including criminal sexual contact, tampering with evidence, and battery under New Mexico law. The case was filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court for judicial review.

An arrest warrant affidavit reflects a determination by law enforcement that probable cause exists to believe a crime may have occurred. It is not a finding of guilt, and no conviction has been entered at this stage of the proceedings.

What happens next

Buckley-Nix was arrested and booked into the San Juan County Detention Center on January 3 on charges of criminal sexual contact, tampering with evidence, and battery, according to booking records.

San Juan Pulse will continue to follow the case as it moves through the court system. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.