A Hobbs man’s reckless behavior has finally caught up to him as Lazarius Sanders, 25, was sentenced to 71 months in prison for discharging a firearm in a residential neighborhood following a domestic dispute.
On August 23, 2022, Sanders discharged a firearm towards the sky from a vehicle in a Hobbs neighborhood, leaving his neighbors shaken. According to court documents, Sanders was in a domestic altercation with the homeowner’s daughter earlier that day, during which he pointed a firearm at her.
Resident surveillance footage from a nearby house showed Sanders in a white four-door vehicle with front-end damage discharging three rounds from a firearm outside the same house. Another incident occurred approximately 40 minutes prior, where Sanders discharged one round of ammunition from the vehicle in front of the same house.
Following the incidents, officers provided a description of Sanders’ vehicle to other officers on patrol. A short time later, an officer in the area observed a vehicle matching the description and conducted a felony traffic stop. The officer observed a firearm in plain view and secured the vehicle pending a search warrant.
Upon executing the search warrant, officers found a Taurus 9mm handgun under the driver’s seat with an extended magazine capable of accepting 17 rounds, along with an additional chambered round for a total of 18 rounds.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Force investigated this case with assistance from the Lea County Drug Task Force and the Hobbs Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Ry Ellison is prosecuting the case.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Sanders will be required to serve 3 years of supervised release. With no parole in the federal system, Sanders’ troubles are far from over.
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Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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