NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s “Most Wanted” list highlights the most dangerous accused criminals. Among suspected drug kingpins, several New Mexicans and people with ties to the state are also on the list.
Notice: The accused individuals listed are presumed innocent until proven guilty and the “Most Wanted” list is subject to change. For more information on each individual, visit the FBI’s “Most Wanted” page.
Jose Ramirez
Born in Las Vegas, New Mexico, Jose Ramirez is on the FBI’s radar for alleged involvement in a kidnapping in Placitas. The event occurred in 2018.
According to the criminal complaint filed in federal court, the 69-year-old victim left his home in Placitas to go to work. But two suspects with stocking caps and blue bandanas on their faces grabbed the victim.
The victim picked up a gun that had fallen to the ground and tried to shoot the attackers, but the gun did not fire, prosecutors said in the document.
The two suspects reportedly demanded $50,000 from the victim and drove him to a remote spot several miles from his home. Prosecutors said one of the attackers, Ramirez, had previously worked for the victim’s business. The attackers put the victim in the bed of the pickup truck and dove the victim to Albuquerque before demanding a bank deposit to an account in Mexico, prosecutors said. Eventually, they released the victim at a gas station.
The FBI heard the phone calls discussing the bank transfer. They came from Ramirez’s phone, prosecutors claim.
Ramirez had been on parole for previous crimes, but reportedly cut off his GPS ankle monitor. Since 2018, the FBI has been on the lookout for Ramirez. They’re offering a reward of up to $10,000.
Elliott Estevan Peralta
The FBI is offering $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Elliott Estevan Peralta. In a criminal complaint filed in federal court, an FBI agent claimed Peralta has been arrested 14 times in New Mexico, and in 2022 the FBI discovered 105 grams of “M 30” pills containing fentanyl and over 1,000 grams of methamphetamine in an Albuquerque house used by Peralta. At the home, they also found several firearms, a tactical helmet, and soft ballistic armor, the FBI said.
Peralta escaped capture then, but the FBI put him on the “Most Wanted” list. They say he should be considered armed and dangerous.
Charles Lee Hill
Charles Lee Hill is wanted for a series of alleged violent crimes. The list of accusations against Hill begins on November 8, 1971, when the FBI says he was involved in the shooting of a New Mexico State Police officer during a traffic stop.
Later that month, Hill and two accomplices were accused of kidnapping a tow truck driver and forcing the driver to take them to the airport. Once there, they hijacked a TWA flight, re-directed the plane to Florida, then traded the hostage passengers for fuel to fly to Cuba, according to the FBI.
Hill was ultimately charged with a range of crimes, from air piracy to possession of unregistered firearms.
In 2007, Hill was the focal point of a New York Times article on fugitives living in Cuba. Under Fidel Castro’s reign, Hill and other fugitives received political protection, but as the tension between Cuba and the U.S. shift, such fugitives could face an uncertain future.
In 1999, Larry Barker spoke with Hill in Cuba. And in 2019, the family of the police officer allegedly killed by Hill spoke out hoping for justice. But for decades, Hill has remained free.
Robert William Fisher
Another man the FBI is looking for is Robert William Fisher. The FBI says he’s an avid outdoorsman who’s wanted for killing his family members.
The FBI says he may have killed his wife and two young children before blowing up the family home in the early 2000s. The event took place in Scottsdale, Arizona, but the FBI says Fisher has ties to New Mexico and Florida.
The Crime Junkie podcast did an episode on Fisher. He’s also been the focus of a 2011 documentary by director Charlie Minn.
Jeroid John Junior Price
One man previously on the FBI’s list, Jeroid John Junior Price, was recently re-arrested and has now been taken off the list. Price had been serving a 35-year prison sentence in New Mexico. He was serving a murder conviction in South Carolina.
In 2023, he was released early from the New Mexico prison by a South Carolina judge, but then the South Carolina Supreme Court voided the release, the FBI says.
Price was recently re-arrested in New York, according to reporting by Count on 2 News in South Carolina. They report he will remain in custody.
Isaiah Lance Rivera
Also on the list is 21-year-old Isaiah Lance Rivera. The 21-year-old is wanted for firearms violations. He reportedly has ties to the Las Cruces area as well as La Mesa, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas.
Leonard John Lucero
Lucero is wanted for alleged firearm possession after he was convicted of a felony. The FBI Violent Gang Task Force executed a search warrant at Lucero’s home and several storage units.
Federal agents reportedly found three dozen firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition. The FBI says they also found large bags of marijuana (which is illegal at the federal level) and over $100,000 worth of stolen merchandise.
If you have any information about the whereabouts of the FBI’s “Most Wanted,” you can contact the Albuquerque FBI field office. You can also submit an anonymous tip online at this link.
