Extortion and larceny charges have been filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court following a reported dispute involving a wood stove and RV batteries, according to an affidavit for arrest warrant.

The affidavit was filed Feb. 23, 2026, in San Juan County Magistrate Court and stems from a Feb. 16, 2026 response by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office to a reported property issue at Road 3535 in the Flora Vista area.

What Court Records Allege

According to the affidavit, a deputy was dispatched at approximately 8:33 a.m. in reference to what was described as a civil problem. The reporting party told the deputy that her wood-burning stove had been taken from near her porch without her permission.

The affidavit states that on Feb. 13, 2026, the reporting party’s brother had gone to her trailer at a nearby RV park to drop off a birthday present. The document describes that visit as a separate event from the later discovery of the missing stove.

According to the affidavit, on Feb. 16, 2026, the reporting party went outside and noticed that her stove was gone. She told the deputy the stove had been sitting outside near her porch for some time and that she had not previously experienced problems with anyone attempting to take it.

Alleged Demand Involving Batteries

The affidavit states the reporting party told the deputy that the individual she said took the stove contacted her through text messages and voice messages. According to the filing, she said she was told the stove would be returned if she provided two RV batteries from a nearby RV park property.

The reporting party advised the deputy that the batteries did not belong to her and that, as far as she knew, they belonged to the RV park’s property manager. The affidavit states she attempted to call the property manager but did not receive an answer. The deputy also wrote that he attempted to contact the property manager and was unable to reach them.

The affidavit includes a text message that states: “I’m off tomorrow you can bring my RV batteries to me tomorrow and ill happily load up you fire stove and bring it home,” followed by a smiling emoji.

Investigation and Contact Attempts

According to the affidavit, the deputy attempted to contact the suspect by phone but did not receive a response. The deputy then went to a location where the suspect’s trailer had previously been parked and was advised that the trailer had been moved earlier that morning.

The deputy wrote in the affidavit that, based on the reported communications, the stove was being kept while the transfer of two RV batteries from the nearby property was requested.

The allegations are separate from a recent Aztec larceny case involving a former tenant, where court records describe a dispute over missing property and an arrest warrant.

Charges Filed

• Extortion (30-16-09), classified as a felony under New Mexico law
• Larceny over $250 but not more than $500 (30-16-01) — Misdemeanor

Case Status

The charges were filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court. As reflected in court records, the case was pending at the time of filing. No determination of guilt has been made.

Source

Information in this article was obtained from an affidavit for arrest warrant filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court. The affidavit was sworn by a certified law enforcement officer with the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office.

The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Charges are allegations. No determination of guilt has been made.