Former deputy accused of child abuse

PORTALES — A former Roosevelt County Sheriff’s deputy convicted in 2021 of receiving stolen property now is facing felony child abuse charges, records show.

The former deputy, Chris McCasland, was charged on March 1 with child abuse not causing great bodily injury, a third-degree felony, in Roosevelt County Magistrate Court.

In an affidavit for McCasland’s arrest, New Mexico State Police Agent Justin Tiemann charged that on Feb. 14, McCasland had struck his 7-year-old son repeatedly while McCasland was driving a motor vehicle.

According to the affidavit, Portales police were called to investigate on Feb. 16 after the boy’s mother called about possible child abuse.

Portales Police Officer Johann Jiminez reported he saw bruising on the child’s chest.

In interviews, McCasland said he had struck the boy as discipline after the boy had taken a toy from his 4-year-old sister, who also was in the vehicle.

The boy and his sister were interviewed about the incident in the presence of New Mexico Children Youth and Families Department employees.

A warrant was issued Feb. 28 for McCasland’s arrest. As of March 4, jail records from the Roosevelt County Detention Center indicate McCasland had not been arrested. Ninth Judicial District Attorney Brian Stover said he did not believe McCasland’s warrant had been served.

An attempt to reach McCasland on Friday for comment was unsuccessful.

In April, McCasland was sentenced to 182 days in the Roosevelt County Detention Center after a bench trial in which he was convicted of receiving a stolen television worth less than $250, making the charge a misdemeanor.

McCasland is a Tucumcari High School graduate and the son of Quay County Commission Chairman Franklin McCasland.