Estancia Mayor Pro Tem Appears in Court on Felony Alcohol Sale Charges
Estancia Mayor Pro Tem Amy Lynn May appeared before Magistrate Judge Craig M. Davis in Moriarty Magistrate Court on August 17, 2026, for a first appearance on two counts of unlawful sale of an alcoholic beverage. Each count is a fourth-degree felony under New Mexico's Liquor Control Act, punishable by up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
May did not enter a plea. Judge Davis released her on her own recognizance under what were described as standard conditions, including (1) that she not consume alcohol or cannabis unless medically prescribed, (2) not violate any federal, state, or local law, and (3) maintain contact with an attorney once one is obtained. May told the court she could not afford to hire an attorney and was advised of her right to apply for a public defender.
May confirmed to the Dispatch, most recently following Monday's Estancia Board of Trustees meeting, that she purchased Blue Ribbon Bar & Grill several months ago. The bar is a Torrance County landmark that served as a filming location for the 2016 film Hell or High Water. Formal confirmation that the charges relate to this business has not yet been received. The Dispatch will report further once records clarify the matter.
May currently serves as Estancia's mayor pro tem under a rotation the town's board of trustees approved on July 7, 2026, a role that has taken on added significance amid the board's ongoing effort to remove absentee Mayor Runnel Riley from office (Estancia Trustees Order Legal Counsel to Draft Removal Affidavit Against Mayor Riley, Approve Water Crisis Action Plan). May moved for the board's June 30 no-confidence vote against Riley (Estancia trustees issued no-confidence vote against mayor, tabled budget items, and imposed fireworks restrictions).
The Mountainair Dispatch has requested the criminal complaint and statement of probable cause in the case under the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act. This is a developing story, and the Dispatch will publish additional details, including the specific conduct alleged, once it receives the records. Case information can be verified independently through the New Mexico Courts Case Lookup, case number M-56-FR-2026-00092. Because this case is in the pre-trial stage and no evidence has been presented, the reader should assume the defendant is innocent unless and until proven guilty.