A Doña Ana County Detention Center inmate has been charged with possession of a deadly weapon and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after he allegedly used a makeshift knife to stab another inmate.
Just before 3 p.m. on May 30, Cain Esquivel, 28, was with two other inmates in a recreational area of the jail when officers reportedly went to escort another detainee to an adjacent dayroom. Corrections officers said Esquivel and the other two inmates were temporarily placed in lockdown while the detainee was moved. That’s when jail administration said Esquivel allegedly attacked another 39-year-old inmate, reportedly striking him in the face, neck and back.
Doña Ana County Sheriff’s detectives, who are investigating the incident, said the shank was fashioned out of materials commonly found in the detention center.
The victim was initially treated for puncture wounds to his face, head and back at the facility before he was transported to a Las Cruces-area hospital. His injuries were reportedly not life-threatening.
According to Chris Barela, Doña Ana County Detention Center Director, all three inmates were classified accordingly to be with each other. The victim’s family was immediately notified of the incident.
Detectives have charged Esquivel with possession of a deadly weapon by a prisoner and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, both felony-level offenses.
Information from Dona Ana County