Local inmate violates protection order
By Danielle Brothers
Special to The Farmer
Craig Brian Chavez is facing a Class C Felony charge for violation of a domestic violence protection order- second offense after his arrest.
According to documents filed with Northwest Judicial District the Watford City Police Department was contacted on April 27, of a report of a protection order violation from corrections in regard to Craig Chavez.
Chavez, who is an inmate at the McKenzie County Correctional Center for eight Class C Felony charges for aggravated assault-adult victim, terrorizing-adult victim, terrorizing-child victim, terrorizing-adult victim, reckless endangerment-extreme indifference-domestic violence, felonious restraint-restrains-adult victim, preventing arrest-felony, interference with telephone during emergency call-intentional in March, 2025, had been speaking with a friend named Tim Darland via reliance, which is the system for inmates used for texting and calling people outside the facility.
Officers were informed that corrections blocked Darland’s number due to relaying messages to Jane Doe who is a protected party of an active domestic violence protection order against Chavez.
Officers were informed that the mother of Jane Doe works at the correctional facility and had a screen shot of a message from Facebook messenger, which was a message from Chavez to Jane Doe via third party. The message was from Darland on April 26, 2025, at 5:41 p.m. and stated “Hey, I just wanted to let you know Craig is really sorry. He wants to be the best man he can be and turn things around for you and the kids. He loves you and misses his family.”
Upon speaking with Doe she corroborated this information. An interview was conducted with Chavez and he stated that he didn’t tell anyone or Darland specifically to relay a message to Jane Doe for him. Officers reviewed text messages and call logs between Chavez and Darland. Many conversations where Chavez had stated to Darland that he needed that favor to be done for him. During a phone conversation on March 6, Chavez stated “Tim I’d hate to ask or put you in a position but I really need someone to get a message and just say hey look he knows he messed up, he’s extremely sorry and just wants the best for you guys no matter what happens and he forgives you and hopes you can find forgiveness in him” “and that it” “I just wanted to let her know I forgive her” “there’s no way I can tell her.” Chavez then continued “if someone could facilitate that, that be awesome.” Tim Darland asked if that could get Chavez in trouble to which he stated “yeah if I did it, but I’m not going to contact her” then further stated “I can’t really tell you what to do, you know what I’m saying, but it would help the situation a little bit.”
On March 11, during a phone call between Chavez and Darland. Chavez stated “remember I asked you to do me that favor a couple of weeks ago? I really need you to do that.” They continued the conversation and Darland talked about how he doesn’t have the number for Jane Doe and then he mentioned that he could send the message over messenger. Chavez replied “I’ll talked to you and then you write it down and then sent it.”
On March 24, during a phone conversation between Chavez and Darland, where Darland stated “You told me to apologize” “you told me to forgive her” and spoke about the “favor” again. Chavez had stated for Darland to send the message in “maybe a month” then mentioned some words he wanted in the message “I’m sorry and forgive me and I’ll never drink again” “forgive me and I’m truly sorry.”
On April 24, during a phone conversation between Chavez and Darland, Chavez stated “I really need you to do that favor” “I want my family back.” On April 26, there was a text conversation between them where Chavez stated “Will you please do that favor for me?” Darland replied “ok” and then “done” which was the exact same day which the message on facebook messenger was sent to Jane Doe from Tim Darland.
On April 27, during a phone conversation between Chavez and Frank Chavez stated “they blocked one of my friends numbers for reaching out to Jane Doe and I don’t want to get into any more trouble.”
There is an active protection order between Jane Doe and Chavez since March 17, 2025, which states Chavez is prohibited from communicating with any protected party aka Jane Doe by any electronic means or having messages delivered to any protected party through anyone other than an attorney or a law enforcement officer.
Chavez’s bond was set as an appearance bond and his Preliminary Hearing is set for July 17, 2025.
The Farmer will continue its coverage of this case and report detailed updates as they become available.
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