A man is accused of criminal sexual contact of a child under 13 after an incident alleged to have occurred in Farmington, according to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court. Court records state the alleged incident occurred Sept. 7, 2024, and an arrest warrant was approved in February 2026.
The affidavit alleges Brent Smith committed the offense involving a child during an encounter at a motel. The investigation was conducted by the New Mexico State Police.
Child Abuse Referral Initiates Investigation
According to the affidavit, New Mexico State Police were notified Jan. 1, 2026, of a child abuse and neglect referral reported through the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department.
The document states the referral involved a child who disclosed sexual abuse while receiving treatment at a behavioral health facility.
Statements Described in Forensic Interview
Investigators reported that during a forensic interview conducted Jan. 30, 2026, the child described an encounter involving the defendant when she was about 11 years old.
According to the affidavit, the child told investigators the defendant had been drinking alcohol and was sexually touching her while her mother was asleep.
Allegation Describes Motel Incident
The affidavit also states the child reported that when she was about 12 years old the defendant struck her on the buttocks with an open hand while she was dressed during an encounter in a motel room near the Sun Ray Park and Casino area on the southeast side of Farmington.
Charges Filed
- Criminal sexual contact of a minor under 13 — third-degree felony
Case Status
A San Juan County judge approved the arrest warrant Feb. 24, 2026. Court records indicate the defendant was not in custody as of the filing date.
Source
Information in this article comes from an affidavit for arrest warrant filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court and sworn by a New Mexico State Police officer.
Brent Smith is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. Charges are allegations.