Three people face multiple charges following a pair of burglaries last month at a wind farm facility in Torrance County, with investigators piecing together the case through surveillance footage, social media posts and confidential sources, court documents show.
The Torrance County Sheriff’s Office responded to the first burglary on Nov. 17 at the Tecolote Wind Operations and Maintenance building on U.S. Highway 54. Deputies found a broken window and determined that climbing equipment had been stolen. The facility manager later identified the missing items as Skylotec-brand climbing gear valued between $1,500 and $1,700.
Deputies were called back to the same location on Nov. 24 after approximately $20,000 worth of copper wire was taken. According to a criminal complaint, the facility manager reported that a window secured after the first incident had been broken again and a new hole was cut in the perimeter fence. The suspect used a forklift on the property to access and steal two large pallets of copper cable, each valued at more than $10,000.
Trail camera footage from Nov. 23 captured a dark-colored Ford Expedition towing a trailer that appeared to contain copper wire rolls, followed by a late-1990s turquoise Dodge pickup truck leaving the property, according to the complaint.
Investigators from the sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division identified suspects after receiving screenshots from Facebook Marketplace showing someone attempting to sell Skylotec climbing gear. The posting, created between Nov. 18 and Nov. 19, offered the gear for $1,100 while claiming it was worth $4,000.
A detective located a public Facebook profile matching one suspect and found a photo of a late-1990s turquoise Dodge pickup consistent with the trail camera images. Law enforcement records confirmed that person owned a 1996 turquoise Dodge pickup, the complaint states.
Working with a confidential source, investigators located the suspect’s vehicle on Dec. 7 in Veguita, in the unincorporated area of Socorro County. The vehicle had a decal resembling a dog’s face on the rear window, matching details seen in wind farm surveillance footage.
On Dec. 9, deputies from both Torrance and Socorro counties executed a search warrant at the property. During questioning, one suspect initially denied involvement but later admitted to assisting in the burglary after learning the severity of the charges, according to court documents.
That suspect told investigators the alleged coordinator had requested a ride to the property and claimed to have previously burglarized the location. The suspect said the coordinator broke into the building, retrieved a forklift and loaded copper pallets into another suspect’s truck while the other two remained outside the gate.
The complaint states investigators found Facebook Messenger exchanges between two suspects discussing the climbing gear, including negotiations over a $100 marketing fee. One suspect became hesitant about meeting a potential buyer, expressing concern because the buyer was coming from Torrance County.
With assistance from the Socorro County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force, the alleged coordinator was arrested Dec. 11 on an outstanding 2023 probation violation warrant stemming from charges including possession of a controlled substance, conspiracy to commit receipt, transportation or possession of a firearm by a felon, tampering with evidence and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The alleged coordinator faces six charges related to the wind farm burglaries: larceny over $20,000, conspiracy to commit larceny over $20,000, two counts of commercial burglary, conspiracy to commit commercial burglary and larceny between $500 and $2,500.
The two other suspects each face four charges: larceny over $20,000, conspiracy to commit larceny over $20,000, commercial burglary and conspiracy to commit commercial burglary.
During the search, investigators recovered receipts related to copper scrap transactions and seized a cell phone. They also found small pieces of copper wire with black sheathing and a red stripe in a backyard, consistent with the stolen wire, the complaint states.
The investigation remains active and additional charges may be filed, authorities said.