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TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES – A hearing on a temporary restraining order against a Children, Youth and Families Department child abuse investigation will be continued in January.

District Judge Edmund Kase III set a tentative hearing date of Jan. 15 for the lawsuit brought by Tierra Blanca Ranch High Country Youth Program and owner Scott Chandler.

Chandler was not at Tuesday’s hearing, and his attorney, Pete Domenici Jr., said Chandler will not be talking to State Police or CYFD, according to KOAT-TV .

Domenici has criticized CYFD and State Police for the “unnecessary escalation of the situation.”

Chandler was identified as a “person of interest” by State Police when they couldn’t find nine boys at the ranch Friday as they served a sealed search warrant.

Last week, the youth program and Chandler filed a lawsuit and request for a temporary restraining order against CYFD seeking to bring the agency’s child abuse investigation to a halt. The lawsuit alleged the CYFD investigation was biased and that CYFD staff failed to follow its regulations in conducting the investigation.

The restraining order was not granted last week, and Tuesday’s hearing was scheduled.