Jimmy Guillen Indited on charges for setting ablaze local Wal-Mart

Portales, NM – Ninth Judicial District Attorney, Quentin Ray, announced that today a Curry County Grand Jury indicted Jimmy Guillen, age 59, of California, on charges of Arson, Aggravated burglary with a deadly weapon, Tampering with evidence and Felon in possession of a firearm.

The charges stem from September 3, 2023, in the early morning hours where a fire sparked and engulfed our local Wal-Mart in flames causing $42 million dollars in damage.  Earlier this week at a pretrial detention hearing, Judge Cross found Guillen to be dangerous and a threat to the community.  Guillen will be held in detention pending trial.

Jimmy Guillen faces 25 and a half  years in prison if convicted on all counts.  He will be arraigned within the next two weeks.

For more information, please contact the District Attorney’s Office at 575-769-2246.