Valencia County deputies chase, arrest suspected drug trafficker

Valencia County Sheriff’s deputies chased and arrested a 46-year-old Los Lunas man suspected of drug trafficking. Rashaun Thompson now faces charges of resisting arrest, trafficking and possessing drugs, with an arraignment scheduled in court next Wednesday.

On July 31, the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office went to Thompson’s home in Los Lunas to serve a warrant on behalf of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. The warrant was for distributing drugs and possessing a gun as a felon.

Thompson ran after authorities made their presence known. While searching for Thompson in and around his home, deputies noticed a way he might have escaped. A neighbor called 911 saying they saw Thompson in their backyard hopping the fence.

After 20 minutes, deputies spotted him.

“I was scared for my life,” Thompson said after a VCSO deputy handcuffed him and began to question why he ran.

Deputies searched the car and his home with a K9 and a search warrant. They said they found two guns, fentanyl, meth and a significant amount of cash.

According to Thompson’s criminal records, he has two other cases pending in court with charges related to drug trafficking and possessing drugs.