DEMING – A New Mexico State Police officer has been arrested and charged in connection with the theft of military-issued equipment from the New Mexico Army National Guard facility in Las Cruces.
According to a statement from the New Mexico State Police, agents with the department’s Investigations Bureau began looking into a theft reported at 249 North Armory Road in Las Cruces on March 13, 2025. The investigation revealed that Santiago Pacheco, an NMSP officer and a sergeant in the National Guard, was allegedly involved in the theft of three pairs of night vision goggles during inventory exercises held in February and March.
Pacheco was arrested on April 8 and charged with Larceny, a third-degree felony, and Conspiracy to Commit Larceny, a fourth-degree felony. He was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center and has since been placed on standard administrative leave from the New Mexico State Police.
“I am extremely upset by the arrest of one of our officers,” NMSP Chief Troy Weisler told KDEM News. “Those who cannot meet our standards do not belong in this agency. His actions are unacceptable and do not reflect the integrity, dedication, and honor exhibited every single day by the men and women of this agency.”
The investigation remains ongoing.
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