ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – An Albuquerque mother says she’s frustrated with the court system and wants a change when it comes to her son. She says he keeps getting let out on ankle monitors and getting in more trouble, so she wants him to stay in jail and get help.
In the past couple of years, Jade Gordon’s son has been charged with everything from threatening people to battery of a household member. She says her son, Shane Ward, was troubled starting in his childhood.
“From a very young age, he started out being placed into counseling in different facilities,” said Gordon. “He has basically continued on a path of destruction.”
She says UNM diagnosed him with conduct disorder and as an adult, he could develop psychopathic or sociopathic tendencies. As he grew older, she says things only got worse.
“When he turned 18, we actually pushed him out of the home. We would no longer allow him in the home,” said Gordon. “Specifically, because we have younger children in the home and we did not want our younger children to be subjected to his actions or the things he would state in the home.”
Just in the last two years, the 23-year-old’s rap sheet includes threatening ex-boyfriends’ family members with text messages like, “your family will be massacred,” “I’m on the way to your house now,” and that he would “chop (your) children’s heads off.” In another case, he strangled a man and was charged with false imprisonment. Temporary restraining orders requested by victims were denied.
Gordon says she wishes judges would keep her son locked up instead of just a slap on the wrist and probation. “I honestly believe the system failed my son,” said Gordon. “The judge keeps releasing him and letting him out.”
In the battery case, he received a plea deal and a delayed sentence. Since then, records show he’s had at least three probation violations.
“The police out there fighting to pull these people in,” said Gordon. “As they’re pulling them in, the judges are slapping, putting a slap on the wrist and throwing them right back out.”
In the last couple of weeks, she says Ward assaulted her 13-year-old son. He then cut off his ankle monitor for the second time and is now on the run. According to New Mexico court records, a warrant was issued on June 15, following that incident.
“Even with him striking our 13-year-old just recently, I’ve been looking online and there’s nothing indicating they have a new file charged against him for it,” said Gordon. “My husband and I said we do want charges pressed and we do want him to learn from his mistakes.”
Gordon says she doesn’t want to see Ward hurt. However, she fears for her family and others if he doesn’t get the help he needs behind bars. “I believe deep down in my heart, that somebody at some point could end up dead,” said Gordon. “I just pray that he sees this and he gives up.”
KRQE News 13 reached out to the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office to find out why Ward has been let out so many times. They say they’ve filed three separate motions to revoke his probation, but two of those were denied, allowing the court to reinstate his probation. The DA’s office says that the third motion is still pending.
