Las Cruces Man, 59, Booked on Meth Possession and Probation Violation Charges

Allegedly... Derrick Lavaun Pettes, 59, of Las Cruces, was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center on Feb. 18, 2026, following an encounter with law enforcement in the area of Del Rey Boulevard and Bataan Memorial Highway. According to booking records, Pettes faces a felony count of possession of methamphetamine, which carries a $2,000 bond, and a separate felony probation violation charge filed with no bond. The Del Rey/Bataan Memorial area lies along a heavily traveled stretch on the east side of Las Cruces where local agencies regularly conduct traffic enforcement. Probation violation charges in New Mexico are typically filed when a probationer is alleged to have picked up a new offense or otherwise failed to comply with conditions of supervision; a judge generally must rule on reinstatement or revocation before release. No court filings or news coverage specific to the current case were located at the time of publication. The charges are allegations only. Pettes is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.