Portales, NM – Ninth Judicial District Attorney, Andrea Reeb, announced that on September 20, 2021, Oracio Ornelas, age 40, of Portales, was sentenced to twelve and one-half (12 ½) years in the Department of Corrections for Aggravated Battery (deadly weapon) and Receipt, Transportation or Possession of a Firearm or Destructive Device by a Felon where he was found guilty by a Jury on June 15, 2021.
The charges stem from June 2, 2020, when the Portales Police Department responded to a call at the Allsup’s on 2nd and Ave J in reference to shots fired with a male subject injured. While the victim was at the gas pumps attempting to wash his windshield, he was approached by Ornelas yelling profanities at him asking if he wanted to fight. Ornelas closed distance on the victim, pulled a handgun from his waistband and shot the victim in the chest at close range. The victim had never seen Ornelas before and suspected Ornelas to be high on methamphetamine.
The Honorable Donna Mowrer presided over the case and sentenced Ornelas to the maximum sentence, twelve and one-half (12 ½) years in the Department of Corrections which includes an eight (8) year habitual offender enhancement. Judge Mowrer found that the Aggravated Battery (deadly weapon) to be a serious violent offense which will require Ornelas to serve 85% of that sentence before he is eligible to receive good time.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney, Quentin Ray, and Ornelas was represented by criminal defense attorney, Ralph Dowden, of Clovis.
For more information, please contact the Office of the District Attorney, at 575-769-2246.
