Man arrested after alleged Browning Parkway armed robbery and evidence tampering

Farmington police arrested 40-year-old Matt Thomas Lemon after officers say a man was robbed at knifepoint near Browning Parkway and Main Street in the early hours of January 7, 2026, according to a sworn probable cause statement filed in Farmington Magistrate Court. Lemon was booked into the San Juan County Adult Detention Center and released the following day; the case remains active under docket M-47-FR-2026-00009 and no conviction has been entered.

Officers were dispatched at approximately 3:34 a.m. after a reporting individual told police he had been approached by a man on a bicycle who pulled a knife and took his phone and other belongings. An officer observed two people on bicycles near the Farmer’s Market area traveling eastbound and initiated a stop for questioning. One of the bicyclists was later identified as Lemon, who was wearing a sheathed machete attached to his pants with a carabiner. Officers secured the machete for safety.

The probable cause statement documents differing accounts. The reporting individual said Lemon pulled a knife or machete, took his belongings, and fled. The reporting individual also said he followed Lemon toward a nearby homeless camp area and that Lemon discarded items along the way. Lemon denied taking any property and said he armed himself because he perceived a threat; he told officers he did not possess the victim’s phone. A third person identified in court records, Bryanna Gallegos, told officers she was with Lemon and denied witnessing any theft, saying she only collected her own belongings and did not take the phone. Officers noted that all parties agreed to speak with them after being advised of their rights.

During a search along the suspects’ path of travel, officers located items matching the description of the allegedly stolen property. The affidavit lists a cell phone, an EBT card, and a portable power bank among the recovered items. Police said the items were photographed, collected, and returned to the reporting individual; the locations where the items were found were recorded as consistent with allegations that evidence had been discarded while fleeing the scene.

Lemon was arrested without a warrant, a step permitted under New Mexico law when officers establish probable cause at the scene. He was booked on second-degree armed robbery and third-degree tampering with evidence charges before his release the next day. As the case moves through Farmington Magistrate Court, defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

For anyone walking or biking the downtown corridor late at night, this incident is a reminder to stay aware of surroundings and secure valuables. Our two cents? Keep phones out of sight, travel in groups when possible, and report suspicious activity to Farmington police quickly so officers can document evidence and protect the community.