Ant Thornton, senator of New Mexico, has called for the continued detention of a repeat offender following an arrest for armed carjacking and other charges in Albuquerque. Thornton made this statement on X.
"Nice work from our BCSO team," said Anthony Linn Thornton, New Mexico State Senator from 198th District (R). "I pray that our judges keep this man behind bars as he cannot be released back into the community."
In May 2024, the New Mexico Supreme Court revised pretrial detention rules to enhance oversight of repeat offenders. The new regulations require temporary detention when defendants are rearrested while already on release until courts reassess conditions. These changes apply statewide and aim to balance public safety with due process as lawmakers and judges debate the rise in repeat-offender crime cases, according to the New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts.
As reported by KOAT News, robbery and carjacking remain significant crime concerns in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. The Albuquerque Police Department reported a 31% drop in robberies during the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, with incidents falling from 232 to 160. However, the FBI reported approximately 30 carjackings statewide between January and April 2024, warning of ongoing violent risks.
Pretrial justice data indicate that most New Mexico defendants appear in court and avoid reoffending while on release. The Administrative Office of the Courts reported in 2023 that out of 9,079 cases, 82% of defendants made all court appearances, 77% had no new arrests, and 92% had no new violent charges while awaiting trial. These outcomes frame the debate on detention policies for repeat offenders.
Thornton is the Republican senator for New Mexico’s District 19, which includes parts of Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe, and Torrance counties. A retired aerospace engineer, he worked at Sandia National Laboratories and Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works before becoming Sandia’s first Black Executive Director. He also served in the Navy Reserve and was Bernalillo County GOP vice chair in 2021. Thornton ran as the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor in 2022.
