Written by Officer Dusty Francisco 07/22/2021
This update gives additional details of the investigation and lists additional criminal charges.
Valencia County, NM- On July 16, 2021, the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau was called to investigate the sexual exploitation of a child between an adult male and a 15-year-old female in Los Lunas, NM.
During the investigation, State Police agents learned between June 13-15, 2021, a parent discovered her 15-year-old daughter had been sexually communicating via cellphone through text messages, videos, and pictures with a male, identified as Johnathon M. Bindues (30) of Los Lunas, NM who is the girls’ track and basketball coach at the Los Lunas High School. Agents discovered and confirmed the sexually explicit conversations between Bindues and the 15-year-old female.
Through further investigation, agents learned during the 3-day exchange of sexually explicit text messages, photos, and videos, Bindues had made requests for the 15-year-old to send him videos and photos of her to him. During a search of the laptop, agents discovered numerous nude videos and photos of the 15-year-old. Agents confirmed both cellphone numbers utilized belonged to Bindues and the 15-year-old.
On July 16, 2021, an arrest warrant was issued for Johnathon Bindues through the Valencia County Magistrate Court. In the early morning hours of July 17th, agents and uniformed NMSP officers located and arrested Bindues without incident at a residence in Los Lunas. He was booked into the Valencia County Detention Center in Los Lunas, NM. Bindues was charged with the following:
- Sexual Exploitation of Child (causing or permitting to engage in act, under 18) (3 counts) (3rd Degree Felony)
- Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor (3 Counts) (4th Degree Felony)
On July 20, 2021, during the ongoing investigation, a forensic safehouse interview was conducted with the 15-year-old and she disclosed she had sexual intercourse with Bindues on several separate occasions. Agents learned the incidents occurred twice at the Los Lunas High School and twice at Bindues’ residence in Los Lunas, NM. On July 20, 2021, after the forensic safehouse interview a search warrant was issued and executed by agents on Bindues’ residence. Bindues was charged with the following additional charges:
- Criminal Sexual Penetration (force or coercion, child 13 to 18) (4 counts) (2nd Degree Felony)
- Criminal Sexual Contact of a Minor (child 13 to 18, unclothed, position of authority) (4 Counts) (2nd Degree Felony)
The name of the juvenile victim will not be released by State Police. This case is under investigation by the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau