Former local prosecutor Lance Jaggers was named an assistant U.S. attorney based in Roswell, the first for the city in six years.
Jaggers was sworn in and officially began work Nov. 2, said Tessa Duberry, public affairs specialist with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.
Ryan Ellison, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced the appointment of Jaggers, a Roswell resident, in a Friday, Nov. 6, news release. The restoration of a resident assistant U.S. attorney in Roswell will enhance the ability of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to support border security efforts in New Mexico and strengthen federal law enforcement in the southeastern corner of the state, according to the release.
“As we continue to prioritize border security and the prosecution of violent crime, drug trafficking, and human trafficking, having an experienced prosecutor in Roswell strengthens our partnerships with law enforcement and enhances our ability to protect the people of southeast New Mexico,” Ellison said in the release.
Jaggers is the first federal prosecutor in the Roswell office since Jacob Wishard, who previously held the position, died in June 2020.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office investigates and prosecutes federal crimes, represents the federal government in criminal and civil cases, brings civil actions to compel compliance with federal law and handles appeals before the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, according to the office’s website. It has offices in Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Roswell. The Roswell office is in the Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse at 500 N. Richardson Ave.
Jaggers was an assistant district attorney in the state’s Fifth Judicial District from March 2017 to October 2019 and again from May 2025 to November 2026, Duberry wrote. In that role, Jaggers worked with law enforcement agencies at every stage of an investigation, represented the state in court proceedings and prosecuted misdemeanor and felony cases, according to the release. The Fifth Judicial District includes Chaves, Eddy and Lea counties.
In between those stints with the district attorney’s office, Jaggers served in multiple legal positions at the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department from October 2019 to May 2025. Those positions included assistant general counsel and children’s court attorney. His duties included litigating abuse and neglect cases and matters involving the Indian Child Welfare Act, according to the release.
