03/17/2026
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
People of La Junta for Preservation Responds to Public Statements Regarding Redford Land Dispute
Presidio County, Texas — People of La Junta for Preservation (PLJP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the cultural heritage and sacred sites of the La Junta region, is issuing the following statement in response to recent public comments made by Charlie Angell regarding the Big Bend Conservation Alliance (BBCA).
PLJP is an independent nonprofit organization. While PLJP and BBCA occasionally partner on community and conservation initiatives—as is common in small rural communities where residents often volunteer and serve in multiple civic and professional roles—the two organizations are separate entities with distinct missions, governance, and funding.
Recent public statements alleging that BBCA has “funneled money” through another entity are false. PLJP manages its own funding and operates independently as a registered nonprofit organization. The purchase of the remaining acreage associated with the El Polvo property was financed personally by a respected community elder who resides out of state. The transaction was not conducted through an LLC or intermediary entity, and all documentation related to the purchase and financing of the property is properly recorded in Presidio County public records.
In 2024, approximately 4.63 acres of the El Polvo site in Redford were donated to People of La Junta for Preservation from a 31-acre parcel originally owned by David Duke. The remainder of the 31-acre parcel was purchased and financed by the community elder, with the transaction secured through a title policy and title insurance confirming clear title to the property.
The entire parcel was surveyed, as part of the donation and transaction, by Tony Trujillo, former Reeves County Commissioner, whose work helped establish the original survey control points for the Redford area and whose company maintains the regional control maps used for surveying in the region.
As part of its stewardship responsibilities, PLJP retained professional civil engineers specializing in hydrology as well as structural engineers specializing in adobe architecture to assess the El Polvo site and surrounding landscape. These professional consultants were engaged from New Mexico, reflecting the specialized expertise required to evaluate historic adobe structures and the hydrological conditions of the Rio Grande corridor.
Prior to the land donation, Mr. Angell held a lease on the 4.63-acre portion of the property. That lease transferred with the land donation.
Mr. Angell has refused to dissolve the lease while simultaneously claiming ownership of the property. Since that time, Mr. Angell has fenced the entire parcel and has repeatedly contacted law enforcement during routine visits and those by our preservation partners to the site. These matters are currently being addressed through the appropriate legal channels in district court.
PLJP is a matrilineal Indigenous-led organization, founded and governed by female descendants of the people of La Junta. Over the course of this dispute, members of the organization have experienced aggressive confrontations and public accusations that have created an atmosphere of intimidation. These incidents have occurred in a remote rural setting and have included confrontations directed at volunteers, staff, and community partners. Such actions are deeply concerning and have no place in the respectful resolution of a legal matter.
PLJP is also concerned by public accusations directed at staff of the Big Bend Conservation Alliance, including confrontations with employees who have no involvement in this private land matter. BBCA has no active projects in Redford, and the organization is not a party to the current dispute.
In 2025, PLJP received a $1 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to support the protection of cultural and sacred sites in the La Junta region of Presidio County. Due to the impending construction of a federal border wall along portions of the Rio Grande, several of these preservation projects are currently being reevaluated as the future of key cultural sites in the region remains uncertain.
The El Polvo site, where PLJP holds the donated acreage, now faces uncertainty not only from the proposed border wall but also from an ongoing property dispute.
People of La Junta for Preservation remains focused on its mission to protect the cultural heritage, history, and sacred landscapes of La Junta. We trust that the courts will review the documented facts—including the survey, title policy, land donation, and recorded property transactions—and we respectfully ask the public to allow this matter to proceed through the proper legal channels.
For the people of La Junta, this work is not simply about land ownership. It is about the protection of sacred places, that hold memory and history, and ancestral responsibility for future generations. Our connection to this region spans centuries, and we remain committed to protecting its cultural and sacred landscapes with integrity and respect.
Media Contact
People of La Junta for Preservation
Melanie Hernandez
[email protected]
