ALAMOSA — Mari Felix appeared in court earlier this week for yet another hearing in connection with the charge of accessory to a crime, a class 5 felony related to the alleged sexual abuse of a child by her husband, Martin Felix-Lopez.
In mid-July, the last time Felix was in court, it was hoped that Wednesday’s hearing would determine if the case was going to trial or a resolution had been reached but, in at that time, Felix’s attorney, Michael Martin, explained that the district attorney’s office “has brought in an attorney to handle specifically these kinds of cases.”
Martin was referring to the recent hiring of Assistant District Attorney Wesley Stafford.
He added, “I believe that this will facilitate a probable resolution.”
Stafford, who was in court Wednesday with Martin appearing via Webex, told the court he had not yet had time to review the case.
District Judge Crista Newmyer-Olsen agreed to postpone the hearing “one more time”, setting the next court date for Sept. 3 at 3:30 p.m. She also made it clear that she expected at that time for “Ms. Felix to either enter a plea of not guilty or for both parties to have reached a resolution in the case.”
In mid-December of 2022, Mari Felix was taken into custody after one of her children reported to a school counsellor a history of sexual abuse by Martin Felix-Lopez, Felix’s husband.
At that time, Felix was charged with four felonies for alleged complicity in sexual assault on a child and child abuse. However, in early January of 2023, District Attorney Anne Kelly reduced Felix’s charges to a single count of accessory to a crime, a class five felony.
When asked to comment on the reduction in charges, DA Kelly declined, stating the case was currently in litigation which prohibits her from discussing any details.
Mari Felix has been Alamosa County Clerk and Recorder since July of 2022 when she was appointed to the position following the resignation of her predecessor, Nicole Jaramillo. Just a few months later, Felix, who ran unopposed, was elected to office.
