Family held hostage in Easter standoff

A Hobbs neighborhood near the Texas-New Mexico border was overrun by Lea Country Sheriff deputies and Hobbs police during a hostage situation on Easter Sunday.

During those seven hours, Hobbs resident Jared Pendleton threatened his own life, while holding four family members at bay in a house on the 2500 block of Waylon, about a mile west of the state border. What started as a patrolling sheriff’s deputy making eye contact with Pendleton, turned into the seven-hour affair that ended with the safe release of the hostages and Pendleton’s arrest on multiple felonies.

Pendleton, 34, is known to have a criminal background that includes drug, fraud and theft felonies, as well as warrants out of Lovington and Carlsbad for drugs and weapon possession.

On Sunday, he was arrested, transported to the Lea County Detention Center in Lovington, and charged with four counts of kidnapping, all first-degree felonies; child abuse, a first-degree felony; four counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer, all third-degree felonies; receiving stolen property over $2,500 under $20,000, a third-degree felony; possession of a firearm, a fourth-degree felony; receiving stolen property (firearm), a fourth-degree felony; trafficking a controlled substance, a fourth-degree felony; possession of a firearm by a felon, a fourth-degree felony; embezzlement of a vehicle, a fourth-degree felony; and resisting, evading, obstructing an officer and drug paraphernalia possession, both misdemeanors.

The bonds for those charges have not been set, however there is a federal no bond amount against Pendleton by the U.S. Marshal Service for a federal probation violation.

According to the Lea County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, the incident started around 10 a.m. when a sheriff’s deputy on patrol in the area spotted Pendleton outside the home on Waylon. The report stated the deputy knew Pendleton from previous contacts and knew Pendleton had several felony warrants. As soon as the two made eye contact, Pendleton ran into the residence. Soon after LSCO deputies and Hobbs police officers surrounded the house and heard a distinct gunshot from inside the residence that backed deputies and officers away from the home.

The report stated the initial deputy, “set containment with other deputies around the residence so Pendleton could not escape, and no one could enter.” Through a telephone conversation, the deputy learned an additional female and two small children were in the residence. During the conversation, LCSO also learned Pendleton said he would not release any of the people until 3 p.m.

“The (LCSO) SWAT Bear-cat and SWAT operators took positions surrounding the residence and property at (4:04 p.m.),” the report stated.

The report states about five minutes later (4:09 p.m.), law enforcement officers observed a female and two males exit the residence. A few minutes later a second female left the residence. They were all transported to a staging area for interviews.

According to the arrest report, the first female, listed as a family member of Pendleton’s, told deputies that “Jared was going to kill himself.” She and another hostage interviewed said they were asleep when the gunshot went off and didn’t know Pendleton was in the residence.

“(Female family member) advised that Jared made them all sit in the den area and would not let them leave,” the report states. “(She) advised that if she tried to leave, Jared would hold the gun to his head and would tell her ‘you think I’m playing, I ain’t playing.’ (She) advised that she didn’t want Jared at the residence, but did not want to leave. (She) advised Jared had told her he was not going to go back to prison and would either do suicide by cop or kill himself, but he was not going to prison.”

LCSO investigators interviewed the second female, who was with Pendleton, according to the report.

“(She) stated that she could not remember exactly when she and Pendleton arrived at the residence, but it was either late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. (The second female) advised they entered the unlocked front door of the residence. (She) advised she and Jared slept on the couch.”

The report states about the time as the interviews concluded, deputies were advised Pendleton was exiting the residence and was instructed to place the firearm on the kitchen counter top. On Monday LCSO Deputy Vivian Martinez confirmed Pendleton exited the residence around 5 p.m.

“Jared Pendleton exited the front door of the residence,” the report states. “Pendleton was holding a cell phone, smoking a cigarette, and wearing ballistic body armor. Pendleton was placed into handcuffs and transported to the Lea County Sheriff’s Office.”

The report states a warrant for a house search was obtained and a Smith and Wesson MP9 was found on the kitchen counter top.

“A spent 9mm Luger shell casing was located in the northeast den, in between two couches,” the report states. “A bullet entrance hole was located in the ceiling, in the northeast den. Sixteen .40 caliber live ammunition, a black gun bag, black nylon gun bag, plastic ammunition holder, and black BB gun were located in the northwest bedroom. ... An NCIC check was conducted and confirmed the Smith and Wesson MP9 ... was stolen, report taken by LCSO.”

The report also states investigators also found an RV that was reported stolen.

According to the report, during his interview Pendleton was asked if he pointed his gun toward officers. He said he did not.

“I was already on the couch, I heard them start banging,” Pendleton stated in the report. “I didn’t want them kicking the door in, so I shot into the ceiling.”

The report states Pendleton said the gunshot made everyone in the house come into the living room and that’s when Pendleton told them no one was to leave the room. Jared stated the female family member didn’t want him there but “this time he had the gun.”

“I pretty much said I’m staying here, you’re not going to run me off,” Pendleton said during his investigation, as stated in the report.

The report states Pendleton said he found the RV “in a pit” between Hobbs and Seminole. He also said he found the gun and body armor around the same time.

“Jared stated that he had also left two (methamphetamine) pipes in the living room and some meth inside the residence,” the report states. When asked when the last time he used meth Pendleton said, Right before walking out of the residence.’”

Todd Bailey can be reached at editor@hobbsnews.com.