Clovis, NM – Ninth Judicial District Attorney, Quentin Ray, announced that on June 18, 2024, Carlos Lopez, age 40, of Clovis, was sentenced to eleven years in the Department of Corrections for 2 counts of Battery on a Police Officer after being found guilty by a Curry County jury.

On October 2, 2023, Officers were dispatched to the La Vista Inn for subject removal.  The officers made contact with Lopez, and he immediately became belligerent while clenching his hands into a fist and positioning himself in a fighting position. As Lopez closed distance the officers aimed their taser at him.  Lopez appeared as if he was going to comply with the officers and then charged them, going for one officers’ gun.  Lopez was then tazed.  CPD Officers verified that Lopez had an outstanding warrant for failure to comply with probation. While officers were detaining Lopez, he struck one officer in the jaw and another in the chest while attempting to bite officers.

The Honorable Drew Tatum presided over the hearing and sentenced Lopez to eleven years in the Department of Corrections which included a 4-year habitual for each count of battery on a Police Officer.

The case was prosecuted by Brett Carter, Special Prosecutor and Lopez was represented by criminal Defense Attorney, Ben Herrmann of Clovis.

For more information, please contact the Office of the District Attorney, at 575-769-2246.