This is a developing story and may be updated.
ALPINE — When a gunman opened fire on Justin Vega Lara, 37, of Alpine, and occupants in his truck on April 16 at the 1100 block of North 9th Street, Alpine Police Department officers briefly detained Lara for questioning about the incident. The alleged shooter, Juan Jose Tafoya, 30, of Alpine, turned himself in three days later and was taken to the Brewster County Jail on charges of aggravated assault with a $20,000 bond.
About a week later, on Wednesday, April 24, officers arrested Lara, who is now in Brewster County Jail on charges of indecency with a child with sexual contact with a $50,000 bond, according to jail records. Brewster County Sheriff Ronny Dodson was out of town after the arrest and could not be reached to provide additional details.
Justin Lara is the brother of Ismael Javier “I.J.” Vega, 23, of Alpine, who died of a fentanyl overdose on February 15. Authorities in Sierra Blanca then arrested Vega’s other brother, Willie “Sapo” Lara III, and two others on March 4 for possession of narcotics (including fentanyl) with intent to distribute. According to a complaint filed in federal court, those arrested said the plan was to sell the fentanyl in Alpine. On February 6, 34-year-old Daniel “Danny” Celaya of Alpine was found dead from a fentanyl overdose at Uncle’s Convenience Store at 2411 E. Highway 90 in Alpine.
Previously, authorities stressed that the overdoses were suspected to be from fentanyl, but they couldn’t be sure until toxicology reports came back from a medical examiner. Last Thursday, April 25, Brewster County Justice of the Peace Scott Wassermann said the reports came back and he confirmed the overdoses were from fentanyl for Celaya and cocaine and fentanyl for Vega.