Taos Teen Sentenced to Two Years at New Mexico Youth Diagnostics and Development Center
Taos, NM — On Monday, March 30, 2026, District Judge Jeffrey Shannon sentenced a 16-year-old Taos resident to a two-year commitment at the New Mexico Youth Diagnostics and Development Center (YDDC) in Albuquerque.
The teen pleaded guilty to five felony and misdemeanor charges: aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer; unlawful carrying of a handgun by a person under age 19; shooting at or from a motor vehicle; criminal damage to property; and resisting, evading, or obstructing an officer.
Prosecutor Harvey Means handled more than seven open cases involving the juvenile over the past two years and worked collaboratively with defense counsel to reach a comprehensive plea agreement. The agreement required a full admission of guilt and resulted in the two-year YDDC commitment.
Background:
The juvenile has an extensive history of offenses, including incidents at Taos Middle School involving physical assaults against peers, an alleged incident of slapping a student, and threats to physically harm a teacher. Additional offenses include an aggravated battery that resulted in the victim’s hospitalization, possession of handguns, and an assault on another teenager at a party while the victim was unconscious.
The most recent and serious incident involved the juvenile discharging a firearm at another individual who was approaching in a vehicle. The gunfire damaged the vehicle’s windshield; no injuries were reported.
Throughout the proceedings, Prosecutor Means navigated multiple competency examinations, evidentiary hearings, and other procedural challenges related to the juvenile cases, ultimately securing the YDDC sentence.
“The teen demonstrated an escalating pattern of behavior over the past two and a half years that became increasingly violent and ultimately culminated in the act of shooting at another individual approaching in a vehicle,” said District Attorney Marcus Montoya. “This sentencing removes a young person prone to violence from the community while also providing an opportunity for rehabilitation and personal growth during his commitment.”
###
