Stolen License Plate Leads to Felon’s Arrest In New Mexico

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Daniel Valenzuela, a 41-year-old resident of Santa Fe, was arrested in Rio Rancho for possession of a controlled substance and bringing contraband into jail. Concurrently, Alisha Corona, a 35-year-old from Albuquerque, faced charges for receiving stolen property. This sequence of events unfolded on November 12 in a Starbucks parking lot on Southern Blvd, Rio Rancho, after police were alerted about a vehicle with a stolen license plate.

The incident began when officers responded to reports of a white Dodge Charger, driven north on Unser Boulevard, with a license plate that had been reported stolen. The car, subsequently located at the Starbucks at 1810 Southern Blvd. SE, was occupied by Corona and Valenzuela. Investigations revealed that the license plate was originally from a black Nissan Murano.

Corona, who was in the driver's seat, explained that she had picked up Valenzuela in Albuquerque to take him to his mother's house in Rio Rancho. She expressed ignorance about the stolen license plate, mentioning that her husband usually managed the vehicle's registration.

Valenzuela, upon a background check, was found to have a felony warrant from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and a no-bond hold. Though he denied knowledge of the stolen license plate, he was aware that the vehicle belonged to Corona. The license plate was seized as evidence, and Corona was released with the notification of a forthcoming summons for possession of stolen property.

Valenzuela's situation escalated during his processing at the Sandoval County Detention Center, where he was discovered to be in possession of a pill suspected to be fentanyl. He now faces the possibility of over four years in prison if convicted. Corona, if found guilty, could face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.