A yearslong dispute over river access and property rights ended Wednesday with a New Mexico man sentenced to probation after a criminal case that stemmed from allegations he threatened people with a firearm.
SANTA FE, N.M. — A yearslong dispute over river access and property rights ended Wednesday with a New Mexico man sentenced to probation after a criminal case that stemmed from allegations he threatened people with a firearm.
Erik Briones was sentenced after accepting a plea agreement in a case that grew out of an ongoing battle over public access to the river behind his property. As part of the sentence, Briones is prohibited from possessing firearms, must complete anger management classes and cannot obstruct access to the river.
The criminal case followed months of escalating legal battles between Briones and Attorney General Raúl Torrez.
Agents with the New Mexico Department of Justice arrived at Briones’ home in late May with a warrant charging him with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The arrest came days after Briones appeared in civil court, where a judge ordered him to remove barriers blocking access to the river.
“I’m totally confused,” Briones said during the arrest.
Earlier this year, Attorney General Raúl Torrez warned Briones’ refusal to comply with court orders could lead to criminal consequences.
“It could potentially result in his incarceration if he continues to violate the court’s order,” Torrez said.
Years before his arrest, Briones predicted violence could result from the dispute.
“I guarantee you, somebody, somewhere is going to get shot over this,” Briones said in a 2023 interview with 4 Investigates.
He also defended his conduct on the property and denied threatening anyone.
Video taken by a fisherman behind his property captured Briones with a gun saying, “It’s my land. I’ve got a right to target practice. I’m going to start shooting right across you.”
Plea agreement reached
Briones accepted a plea agreement last month.
Briones’ defense attorney Tom Clark argued in court that prosecutors were politically grandstanding and accused the state overreaching and attempting to, “try Mr, Briones in the court of public opinion,” according to a court filing.
Briones’ defense argued the NMDOJ “has framed this matter in the context of class conflict, potentially racial conflict, newcomers from long-time residents, and political division arising from use of private land by the general public.”
A judge ultimately deferred Briones’ sentence, meaning no felony will go on his record if he successfully completes probation. Clark said, “I believed it was the right decision.”
Chief of Staff for AG Raúl Torrez, Lauren Rodriguez issued the following statement:
“Yesterday’s sentence holds Erik Briones accountable and makes clear that no landowner gets to police public waters with a gun. The terms of his probation are not optional: no threats, no barriers, and no interference with the public’s right to access public waters. If he violates those terms, we will be back in court and will pursue the full consequences allowed by law.”
