Couple Suspected of Burglarizing Los Alamos Homes Granted Bail With Conditions

Brandi Ortiz-Merrifield

Staff Report

In seperate hearings this morning in Los Alamos Magistrate Court, Judge Pat Casados set bond for an Ojo Caliente couple who are engaged to be married. The couple is charged in a string of local residential burglaries over the past two months.

Casados set bond at $10,000 cash or surety for Brandi Ortiz-Merrifield. Ortiz-Merrifield, 20, is charged with five counts of conspiracy to commit burglary (4th degree felonies) and one count of burglary of a dwelling (3rd degree felony). Her bond was reduced from $28,000 due to her inability to pay. The judge told her as part of her conditions of release that she is to have no contact with her fiance and ordered her to call into her probation officer weekly. Ortiz-Merrifield told Casados that she will be lving with her mother in Chimayo.

Marcos A. Vigil

Casados set bond at $10,000 cash or surety for Marcos A. Vigil. Vigil, 28, is charged with six counts of burglary of a dwelling (3rd degree felonies) and five counts of larceny (petty misdemeanors). His bond was reduced from $50,500 due to his inability to pay. The judge told him as part of his condition of release that he is to have no contact with his fiance and ordered him to call into his probation officer weekly. Vigil told the judge he will be lving in Chimayo with his parents.

Ortiz-Merrifield and Vigil are suspected of breaking into homes in the afternoon hours in Los Alamos and White Rock while residents were at work or out for the day.

Preliminary hearings for Ortiz-Merrifield and Vigil are set for October.

Sgt. Daniel Roberts, left, and Det. Ben Hinrichs process stolen items. Courtesy/LAPD

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