FARMINGTON, N.M. (KRQE) – Three men are facing charges for having child porn following a sweeping investigation in Farmington. According to the Farmington Police Department, 29-year-old Jarrod Velasquez, 56-year-old Dennis Showers, and 30-year-old Raymond Stallings III all had explicit images or videos of children on their devices. They believe some content depicted children younger than five.


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According to the department, detectives along with the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office and the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office investigated and apprehended the three men. Authorities state that FPD detectives executed about 45 search warrants on residences, electronic devices, and cloud-based storage.

Investigators say Velasquez and Showers admitted to sharing the material on the messaging app, Kik. When officers showed up to search Stallings home, they say he had barricaded himself inside and tried to destroy his computer. It took hours of negotiations before he surrendered. There is no indication the suspects were involved in making the pornographic material. All three are charged with the sexual exploitation of children.

FPD reports Velasquez and Showers are facing two counts each of sexual exploitation of children while Stallings is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of children. Police say all three suspects are currently awaiting trial.

Anyone with information that may assist law enforcement in this investigation is asked to call the FPD Tip Line at 505-559-1068.