Las Cruces Man, 24, Convicted of Firearm Possession in a School Zone

John Anthony Orta, 24, of Las Cruces, was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center on Oct. 23, 2025. Listed under booking number 2500008715, he was processed on a felony charge following an arrest at 217 E. Picacho Ave. Records indicate he was held without bond at the time of his processing. According to news reports from the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Justice Department, Orta was arrested in connection with a September 2025 incident near Hermosa Heights Elementary School. Federal authorities charged Orta for the unlawful possession of a firearm within a school zone. The case involved multiple defendants and focused on the proximity of the weapons to the educational facility. Court and news records indicate Orta was convicted in this case.