BY ABQ RAW staff
POSTED 11/29/2023 @ 5:00PM
South Valley Albuquerque –
On November 29th, 2023, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office served a warrant on 49-year-old Celso Montano of Albuquerque for sex crimes related to instances when he hired sex workers. The warrant was served at 2301 Don Felipe Road Southwest.
According to a criminal complaint, Montano would hire prostitutes to perform various kind of fantasies. The sex workers said Montano would have them met him at various locations around the middle Rio Grande area. He would talk about “raping and murdering” sex workers. One occasion, a sex worker told investigators he raped her and was violent with her. One sex worker said Montano would threaten her through phone calls and text messages.
The complaint goes on to say Montano would pay the sex workers with cash, bullets, electronics, and drugs for their services. As time went on, he became more and more aggressive with his behavior. The described him as “creepy” and dirty from not showering.
Montano has an extensive criminal record in New Mexico, including one case of rape. The rape charge was ultimately dismissed because the victim died of an overdose.
Montano was booked on promoting prostitution, criminal sexual penetration,
human trafficking, patronizing prostitutes and use of telephone to terrify, intimidate, threaten,
harass, annoy or offend.