A Farmington man facing multiple felony charges including second-degree murder and battery on a peace officer made claims against the San Juan County Detention Center while appearing in court.

Brandon Curley, 31, was in front of District Judge Daylene Marsh on Jan. 16, when he stated, “I don’t feel safe at this jail.”

Curley said he was suffering from “anxiety.”

“I can’t sleep,” Curley said, adding that he felt intimidated.

Marsh tried to stop Curley, telling him that his attorney, Mary Legrand Miller, would come to the detention center to talk to him.

At which time, Curley stated that he had “been requesting a new lawyer.”

Legrand Miller said she was entering her appearance for the first time and would go see him at the detention center.

There are about 450 “detainees” in the San Juan County Detention Center on any given day. The facility would be fully staffed at 87 employees but now has 58 employees.

“The San Juan County Adult Detention Center has a roughly 30% vacancy rate, which is in line with national trends,” said San Juan County spokesman Devin Neeley. “We anticipate, with no changes, to be fully staffed in about four weeks. We have enough recruits starting to close that gap.”

Sarah Castillo has been at the center for more than two years. She said she loves her job.

“I do it to try and make a difference. I care about these detainees; you know, they are human beings, they are real people. They just, you know, had a wrong choice, wrong time, wrong place, you know, whatever."

The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics states the need for correctional officers is expected to decline by 7% over the next 10 years, but there are still 30,900 openings each year for correctional officers and bailiffs.

“All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire,” according to the bureau. “The median annual wage for correctional officers and jailers was $49,610 in May 2022.”

The San Juan County Detention Center has job openings for juvenile and adult detention officers, with the juvenile facility officers being paid $18.49 per hour, and the adult facility officers being paid $18.66 per hour.

The job description states there is a “potential for high stress levels and exposure to hostile situations; some nonstandard work hours are required.”

It also states that “employees may be subject to physical altercations with detainees which may require restraining and/or physically relocating inmates.”

These are situations that can lead to high turnover in detention facilities, where according to the CDC there is “an inherent risk for on-the-job injuries and illnesses. Research shows that corrections workers have high rates of injuries and illnesses, stress, burnout, and mental health-related consequences.”

San Juan County Detention Center officers “are assaulted regularly,” according to Neely, who said the assaults happened at “a rate of one to two incidents per week.”

Assaults are reported to the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office and can result in new charges.

Curley was charged with aggravated battery upon a peace office and battery upon a peace officer in connection to a Jan. 29, 2023, attack reportedly perpetrated by “seven detainees” on four officers.

In the attack, one officer was disarmed of his Taser, and the detainee used it “by deploying it into (the officer’s) mid-back area.” One officer needed “medical attention due to his face starting to change colors,” and “two officers had received medical attention at the jail,” according to the statement of probable cause.

Another officers suffered “obvious injuries to his face and head,” court records state.

Curley reportedly started the entire altercation. He was being removed from his pod and while the officer was escorting him, he allegedly “started hitting” the officer in the face. This reportedly led to the other “detainees jumping into the altercation and starting to attack all of them,” according to the statement of probable cause.

A second incident of battery on a peace officer reportedly happened July 21, 2023, when the officer attempted have Curley mop or sweep his cell before closing it for the night. When the officer asked Curley to do this, the detainee reportedly “got off his bed and started to yell” at the officer, according to statement of probable cause.

Curley allegedly had a “bladed stance, clenched his fists and continued to yell at him,” court records state.

The officer warned Curley he would “lose his privileges for disrespecting him,” at which time, Curley reportedly “punched” the officer “on the left side of his chin,” court records state.

There was a video captured of the incident. “The vast majority of activities in the SJCADC are under constant video surveillance and that video is used in investigations,” Neely said.

Curley is being held in the San Juan County Detention Center for reportedly stabbing and killing Roland Joe on Feb. 26, 2022, at a home in the 2300 block of Loon Street in Farmington.

Curley’s sister Jerilyn Tallman was in a relationship with Joe, and the two had been arguing on the night in question. Tallman reportedly told police that she “notified her brother,” of the argument and “the stabbing was the result of an altercation between Brandon (Curley) and Roland,” according to court records.

Tallman’s children – a 15-year-old and a 13-year-old – reportedly told police they saw Curley “retrieve the knife from the kitchen,” and then they saw Curley “stab Roland in the back one time with the knife,” court records state.

Curley was charged with second-degree murder.

A jury trial is set in February for the detention center batteries, while a jury trial is set in August for the homicide charge.

While Curley awaits his trials, he told the judge he did not want to remain at the San Juan County Detention Center.

“The officer involved intimidated me,” Curley said in court, adding “all of my grievances and requests are being denied. … May I please request to be moved to a different jail?”

“Any and all complaints or grievances filed are taken very seriously, each is investigated thoroughly by supervisory staff,” Neely said, adding that there is one administrator Daniel Webb.

“Each complaint or grievance is handled on a case-by-case basis, but instances of a detainee being moved to another detention center are exceedingly rare,” Neely said, adding staff is trained to follow “procedures and measures to protect staff and detainees while protecting detainees' civil rights.”

He stated that “staff undergoes rigorous training upon hire which includes safety, self-defense, detainee control measures, and detainee safety and care. That training is ongoing during a staff member’s employment.”

Lt. Gary Coleman has been with the detention center for 8 years. He said he knows he is making a difference in the lives of detainees.

“While they are here they are part of the community, and I look out for them as part of the community,” Coleman said. “I’d rather have someone come up to me and say thanks for showing me respect and not knocking me down when I’m at my lowest, when I see them outside.”

Neely added the San Juan County Detention Center is one of 10 in the state of New Mexico accredited by the Adult Detention Professional Standards Council, which has a “mission is to enhance the professionalism, uniformity, and consistency in the operation of detention facilities,” with more than “200 standards that must be followed with policy, procedure, and documentation including observed practices.”