Landowner Faces Charges Over River Access

New Mexico’s Attorney General is cracking down hard on landowner Erik Briones, who now faces five felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly threatening a fisherman armed on his property beside the Pecos River. Prosecutors say video evidence shows Briones discussing target practice and threats, escalating years of clashes over public river access. Despite a state Supreme Court ruling—and federal backing—that New Mexico’s rivers are public, Briones and others have repeatedly challenged it. The Department of Justice insists landowners must comply with the law, and Briones is now ordered to remove fencing or face daily fines. He’s set for a jail custody hearing soon, as this case symbolizes the unresolved tension between private property rights and public access to natural resources. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/96794c04efa3ed9d