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New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 24, 2022
SANTA FE–The New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission (NMJPEC) has appointed Anna M. Aragon of Las Vegas, Reverend Delmus L. Gillis II of Clovis, and Corey M. Helton of Lovington as new members.
Aragon is a New Mexico native who has had her own law practice specializing in criminal defense and family law in Las Vegas, New Mexico, since 1984. She began her career in child support enforcement and later worked for two years in the District Attorney’s Office.
Aragon has served as a lecturer in law with the University of New Mexico’s Misdemeanor Defense Program. She previously served on the New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission from 2012-2013. She earned her law degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law.
Gillis is Senior Pastor at the Bethlehem Baptist Church in Clovis. After graduating from high school in 1991, he joined the U.S. Air Force. He is a decorated veteran who served in Operation Desert Storm; Operation Northern Watch in Incirlik, Turkey; Operation Southern Watch in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Operation Allied Force in Kosovo; and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He retired from the military in 2014 after 23 years of active duty service.
Prior to his current position at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Gillis served in ministry at the New Hope Baptist Church, Chickasha, Oklahoma; the Kadena Gospel Fellowship, Okinawa, Japan; and St. John Baptist Church in Clovis. He holds Associate's Degrees from the Community College of the Air Force and Wayland Baptist University. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Wayland Baptist University and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Liberty University Theological Seminary in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Helton was elected as Lea County Sheriff in June 2018. He worked as a ranch hand and hunting guide before enlisting in the U.S. Army. While serving in the Army, Helton rose from the rank of Infantryman to Sergeant, completing courses in leadership, the U.S. Army Airborne School, the U.S. Army Ranger School and the U.S Army Sniper School.
After serving in the Army for six years, in 1994 Helton joined the Hobbs, New Mexico, Police Department, where he held positions as Field Training Officer, K-9 Officer, SWAT Operator, Sniper Team Leader, Assistant SWAT Commander, Internal Affairs Investigator, Detective, Task Force Office with ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives), Firearms Instructor, Latent Fingerprint Examiner and Patrol Sergeant.
Helton retired from the Hobbs Police Department in 2014. He worked for two firms in the oil and gas industry, GLOBE Energy and DMC Oilfield Services, for two years. He rejoined the Hobbs Police Department prior to being elected Sheriff.
NMJPEC was established by the Supreme Court of New Mexico in 1997 as a volunteer, nonpartisan commission to improve the performance of New Mexico’s judges and provide useful, credible information to voters on judges standing for retention in general elections. Under state law, judges standing for retention must receive 57 percent voter approval to remain on the bench.
The New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission is comprised of 15 individuals – seven lawyers and eight non-lawyers – who are appointed by the Supreme Court to staggered terms. Members are selected from nominations made by the Governor, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Speaker of the House, Senate President Pro Tempore, House Minority Leader, Senate Minority Leader and President of the State Bar.
For more information about the Commission, visit www.nmjpec.org.