SAN JUAN COUNTY, N.M. — Court records allege an inmate at the San Juan County Detention Center was found in possession of a makeshift weapon inside the jail, leading investigators to seek a felony arrest warrant.
The allegations are outlined in a sworn affidavit for arrest warrant filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court on Feb. 3, 2026.
All allegations described below are drawn from court filings and law enforcement statements. No conviction has been entered. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
What court records allege
Alleged weapon discovery inside jail
According to the affidavit, Bryan Chavez, an inmate housed at the San Juan County Detention Center, was referred to deputies on Feb. 2, 2026, after jail staff reported a suspected weapon found among his personal property.
Deputy Jeffrey Dunson of the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office stated he was dispatched to the detention center at approximately 3:30 p.m. after jail officers flagged the discovery during a property transfer.
Items recovered during property inspection
Court records state that jail staff provided deputies with an evidence bag containing a small plastic cup. Inside were several items, including a cloth rag, three loose needles, one needle attached to thread, a small piece of metal, and a single razor blade.
The affidavit describes the blade as approximately one inch wide and consistent in appearance with razor blades typically housed inside jail-issued razors.
Investigators noted that blades of that type can cause serious bodily injury or death.
Where the blade was allegedly found
According to the affidavit, the razor blade was discovered hidden between the pages of one of three religious books found among Chavez’s property.
Jail staff reported the itemization process occurred in an area not covered by fixed cameras, but portions of the process were captured using body-worn cameras.
Statements to investigators
Deputy Dunson stated he advised Chavez of his Miranda rights before asking about the items found.
According to the affidavit, Chavez told deputies he did not know how the razor blade came to be inside the book. When asked about the needles, Chavez allegedly stated one was made from a piece of a plastic hair comb that had been sharpened to a point and used for sewing socks.
Chavez reportedly told deputies he regularly collected books left behind by other inmates and placed them on his desk, and said he had checked the books multiple times but did not know how the blade ended up inside.
Similar allegations involving weapons discovered inside detention facilities have been documented in other New Mexico cases, including a prior San Juan Pulse report involving a jail weapon charge in Chaves County.
Charge and case status
Felony charge filed
Based on the investigation, deputies requested an arrest warrant charging Chavez with possession of a weapon or explosive by a prisoner, a felony offense under New Mexico law.
The affidavit was sworn before a judge on Feb. 3, 2026. Court records indicate the matter was filed for judicial review.
Case status
The case remains pending in San Juan County Magistrate Court. No trial or disposition has been recorded at this time.
Presumption of innocence:
All charges are allegations. Bryan Chavez is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.