Your real name will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more! Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan, right, and one of his attorneys Nathaniel Thompkins talk in the courtroom in Tierra Amarilla during the first day of his trial. Can we let anybody else in the vehicle go through this?. This is the name that will be used to identify you within the system. This time, Penzone beat Arpaio by more than 10 percentage points, aided by a Republican base divided over Arpaio's aggressive immigration stance, his legal troubles and how much lawsuits against the longtime sheriff havecost taxpayers. While at UNM, he worked the New Mexico Daily Lobo, serving as both sports and managing editor. A lifelong resident of New Mexico, he found interest in broadcasting after falling in love with sports. It was Officer Richard Mueller, whos worked for four different law enforcement agencies. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Serving from 1903 to 1904, William Cook promoted many social and education causes. Normally when people are terminated, the first thing they want to do is sue the county for wrongful termination, he said. Here's why. From 1929 to 1930, Charles Wright served. Manage the news you want to see, read exclusive content and explore other subscriber benefits. Property Records Search. He attended the University of New Mexico, where he majored in multimedia journalism. This year Espaola Police has investigated, served warrants, and arrested members of the. MORE:Sheriff Carl Hayden led pursuit of Tempe teens intrain robbery. In 2019, Doran was fired from Superior for again having sex on duty, which he recorded on his body camera. Lujan was convicted in a December jury trail of felony counts of aiding a felon and intimidating a witness. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) A northern New Mexico sheriff who has fought off accusations of misconduct throughout his career was convicted Friday of abusing a driver during a bizarre traffic stop that prosecutors called a fit of road rage. In 2010, he was required to undergo a psychological evaluation that determined, he may be a poor candidate due to his moral self-righteousness, possible adjustment challenges, may be overly sensitive to criticism, and may be rigid and inflexible in his thinking., Another officer involved in the arrest was Commander Anthony Doran, who was previously fired from the Pima County Sheriffs Office for having sex on duty, records show. After being a California deputy sheriff, John Mummert served in Arizona from 1969-72, according toArizona Fraternal Order of Police. Rio Arriba County officials, including some of those named in the lawsuit, vehemently denied allegations in the suit and pointed to the events leading to Aquinos firing as justification for his dismissal. The American Civil Liberties Union and Rothstein Donatelli LLC have filed a lawsuit against the Rio Arriba Sheriff's Office (RASO) on behalf of Tabitha Clay, a reporter who was reportedly harassed by the county's deputies in 2019. Former Rio Arriba County sheriff James Lujan pleaded guilty De c. 29 to the misdemeanor counts of obstruction he was facing and will serve 364 days concurrently with his current sentence. The charges followed a 2017 incident where Lujan, as sheriff, helped Phillip Chacon avoid capture by the local Espaola police department. His resigned when he lost hisbid for election to a full term, as he was simply appointed to complete Barnum's term, according to Arizona Fraternal Order of Police. I never really spoke to him expect for hello, so anything that he says about me or allegations on me are not true because I only know of him is the videos from the family dollar store, he wrote. Local News. Choose wisely! [Aquino] wants to win a lawsuit Im sure, but all of that is false., Danny Garcia said his front yard is paved, but that wasnt done by the county, that was done by myself.. Less than a day after closing arguments were completed, 1st Judicial District Judge Kathleen McGarry declared a mistrial Friday in the trial of Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan. Lujan has another trial coming up next month in a case that also involved Chacon. "MANIA: The ABBA Tribute" is scheduled to play the KiMo Theatre on Sunday, March 5,, Albuquerque Talent Development Academy while turning down that of another, El Camino Real Academy., SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) -- Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin was found not guilty. From 1919 to 1922, John Montgomery served as sheriff and faced a rise in workload due to prohibition. Lujan resigned earlier this month after his conviction. He has returned to regular duty, authorities said. Rio Arriba County Undersheriff Martin Ray Trujillo has agreed to retire at the end of the month, in exchange for a prosecutor dropping the felony charge he was facing. Aaron Maughn failed to stop for a traffic violation and was able to evade officers by driving off-road into the desert and ditching his vehicle. Tabitha Clay is an investigative journalist with a focus on criminal justice and policing. According to online court records, Terrance Garcia filed an employment discrimination complaint in January, accusing Romero of sexually harassing him while he worked at the Cuba Police Department. By Phaedra Haywood Choose wisely! They could move across town, to another county, even another state, and none of that information is necessarily going to be tracked.. Lujan also was convicted of intimidating or threatening a witness for taking one of his former deputies, Cody Lattin, to Chacons house with him that night and directing Lattin not to tell anyone what he had done or to discuss his actions on police radio. During this time he also served as an assessor and tax collector, according to Arizona Fraternal Order of Police. Former Rio Arriba County Sheriff's deputy Joseph Aquino gets into an altercation with George Vigil, an employee at Family Dollar in Chimay, in March 2019. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. His house was the first permanent dwelling builtin Phoenix, and Hancocklaid out the first Phoenix town site in 1870, according to Arizona Fraternal Order of Police. According to personnel records obtained by ABC15, Ensley has worked in at least six Arizona police departments, either failing to meet standards, resigning under investigation, or getting fired for dishonesty. He also served as sheriff deputy, dying shortly after his time in this position, according to Arizona Fraternal Order of Police. Judge Kathleen McGarry Ellenwood who presided over a trial in June against Lujan in the rural Rio Arriba County seat of Tierra Amarilla, which ended with a hung jury is the second judge to move a case against the sheriff out of the county. 162 Tierra Amarilla, NM 87575 Phone: (575) 588-7254 Fax (575) 588-7810 Rio Arriba County Annex Building: 1122 Industrial Park Road Espaola, NM 87532 Phone: (505) 753-2992 Fax: (505) 753-9397 Tierra Amarilla, NM 24 1:05 am MST Clear Get this widget Espaola, NM 25 1:05 am MST Mostly clear Get this widget Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, INTERACTIVE RADAR: Tracking winter storm in Arizona. In an interview, Napoleon Garcia said Friday the allegations in Aquinos lawsuit are false and absurd.. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. He founded the Sheriffs Peace Officers Police Training School, and afterinitially becoming deputy in 1930 he had served in every department by the time he was sheriff. A few months later, he died from natural causes,according toArizona Fraternal Order of Police. Bowles said Lujan is extremely happy with the results. In an email Friday, Campos denied talking to the deputy about Montoya. Starr Daley was hanged at the scene of the crimes he was accused of:murdering a man and kidnapping and raping the man's wife. Behind the wheel?" He also worked at Globe Police after Superior and then transferred to Miami Police, where he shot someone in a controversial case last year. The Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Office is committed to working in a problem-solving partnership. James McFadden served from 1931 to 1936. During his investigation, Aquino says in his complaint, county employees complained to him about other unapproved self-endowment of County benefits by county employees.. Ernest Saucedo, a former Espanola Police Department officer involved in the high-speed chase and aftermath, testified during the trial corroborating much of the testimony given by former Rio Arriba deputy Cody Lattin. He was sheriff from 1889 to 1890, according to Arizona Fraternal Order of Police. Later she headed theCrime Prevention Bureau, and served in government positions in later years such as county auditor and county treasurer. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) -- Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin was found not guilty Wednesday of a misdemeanor charge of failing to register House approves retail crime bill that could lead to Amid a recent rise in retail theft, a bill giving prosecutors the ability to charge individuals convicted of stealing large amounts of merchandise from I-40 westbound closed overnight in Gallup; storm headed to New Mexico is shutting down Interstate New Mexico is shutting down Interstate 40 westbound in Gallup in response to a winter storm in Arizona. The incident reports are filled with untrue and highly-questionable statements, including a false allegation that Peterson refused to identify himself to the female officer and another saying he took an aggressive stance before resisting arrest. All rights reserved. Instead, he said Lujan picked up Chacon and drove off. He is still in federal prison for his crimes. Commissioners dont get involved in the day-to-day operations of the county. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Lujan was facing felony charges of bribery of a witness and harboring or aiding a felon for allegedly helping former Espaola City Councilor Phillip Chacon evade police in March 2017. Invitational brings 16 NM brewery together for a stout 2023 Stout Invitational, hosted by Bathtub 2023 Stout Invitational, hosted by Bathtub Row Brewing Co-Op, 163 Central Park Square in Los Alamos, will be held from noon to 6 p.m. "MANIA: The ABBA Tribute" is scheduled "MANIA: The ABBA Tribute" is scheduled to play the KiMo Theatre on Sunday, March 5, as part of its United States tour. Published: Friday, June 4th, 2021 at 3:32PMUpdated: Saturday, June 5th, 2021 at 12:07AM. Thomas Agnos held office from 1989-92 andbrought a higher standard of law enforcement ethics to the office, according to Arizona Fraternal Order of Police. Thomas Barnum was the first elected sheriff; however, his time in office was short, serving from May 1871 to November 1871. In that case, Lujan was found guilty of helping Chacon avoid being arrested following a high-speed chase through Espaola in March 2017 by picking up Chacon at his home after the pursuit and driving him away in a patrol vehicle. That's just wrong. Leading Arizona: A look at the state's governors. Serving from 1901 to 1902, Samuel Stout wasalso amember of the Salt River Water Users Association, according to Arizona Fraternal Order of Police. As of Monday, however, the spokesperson said Navarrette returned to regular duty. He is also the namesake of the award the Sheriff's Office presents to the volunteer of the year. McGarry Ellenwood said Friday jurors in the case she's handling will be selected only from Santa Fe County. The earliest many Arizona counties began keeping Brady lists was around 20 years ago. Bowles also brought up that the Espaola police chief wrote a letter on Lattins behalf to the law enforcement board when he was facing different disciplinary actions. And thats how its gotten where its gotten.. However, Volkmer said the officers unnecessarily escalated the situation and wished they would have handled it differently. New Mexico and ABQ News, Sports, Business and more, By Isabella Alves / Journal North The judge said she previously "underestimated the effect of trying the sheriff in the county in which he is sheriff" and the effect the "overwhelming number of deputies" at the courthouse would have on jurors and witnesses. Invalid password or account does not exist. We don't share or sell your info. Lujan also resigned from his position following this conviction. Judge Bryan Biedscheid in June ordered a second case against Lujan one that hadn't yet gone to trial moved to Santa Fe as well. NM film industry playing a role in getting a 'Heist 88,' starring Courtney B. Vance, 'Heist 88,' starring Courtney B. Vance, to finish post-production in New Mexico, Vietnamese restaurant Saigon atop ABQ's dining scene. Get it delivered to your inbox for FREE. She said that after a chase of former Espaola city councilor Phillip Chacon whom Lujan is accused of harboring and aiding Espaola police officer Ernest Saucedo allegedly overheard a phone conversation between Lujan and another officer during which Lujan reportedly said, dont (expletive) tell anyone where were at or what were doing., Your email is safe with us, we dont spam. Known for his harsh form of justice, Thomas Warden served from 1871 to 1872. Im not from New York," Navarrette said. I understand there will be a retrial, and as such its not proper to comment at this time, she said in a written statement. He was the passenger in a car stopped for a cracked windshield, and officers found a small amount of marijuana and a pipe in the center console. When the ASU officer confronted the off-duty deputy about driving under the influence, video obtained by NBC affiliate KPNX showed Navarrette admitting that he was, saying, "Yeah, but I'm also a police officer.". Sheriff at Rio Arriba Sheriffs Office Espanola, New Mexico, United States. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Subscribe now to access decluttered news, chosen by you. Former Rio Arriba County Sheriff's deputy Joseph Aquino gets into an altercation with George Vigil, an employee at Family Dollar in Chimay, in March of 2019. The incident led to Aquino losing his job, but he claims he was fired for exposing wrongdoing among county employees. Subscribe now to access decluttered news, chosen by you. The officer then asked Navarrette to step out of his car after confirming he worked for the Pinal County Sheriff's Office. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. How much have you had to drink tonight? the officer asked. Pinal County Sheriff's Deputy Julian Navarrette was stopped after an Arizona State University police officer observed him speeding and swerving about 2 a.m. Dec. 5 in Tempe, according to an ASU police report. FILE - In this July 6, 2010 photo, former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, foreground, and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio give a news conference in Phoenix on regarding the U.S. Justice . Despite that, he established the Sun City Posse as well as reinstated women among sworn personell. They had my arms. In this time, he opened a new jail on top of the First Avenue Courthouse, according toArizona Fraternal Order of Police. The most remembered incident during William Henry Wilky's term in office, from 1917 to 1918, was the last recorded lynching in Arizona. Afterward, Lattin said the sheriff repeatedly told him not to tell anyone what had happened. He invited Reeb and Lujan's attorney Jason Bowles, to submit briefs on which county the jury pools should be drawn from. Reeb said earlier this month it was while investigating this misdemeanor case in which Lujan showed up drunk at Chacons house as police were executing a search warrant and tried to take charge that she discovered the information used to convict Lujan in the felony case. Former Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan, already a convicted felon, pleaded no contest Wednesday to a charge accusing him of interfering with a March 2020 operation by Espaola police officers who were serving a warrant on his friend, former Espaola City Councilor Phillip Chacon. After her husband died, Jewel Jordan was elected to finish his term in 1944, according toArizona Fraternal Order of Police. The jury began deliberations around 3 p.m. Thursday, but by around 2:30 p.m. Friday, McGarry declared the mistrial. This contributed to Blubaum not being reelected for another term. Trujillo directed his officers to draw their weapons against the Taos County Sheriff's deputies and Espanola police officers, who were at the Rio Arriba Sheriff's Office serving search warrants. Rio Arriba County Sheriff Thomas Rodella, sitting in the defendant's chair rather than on the side of the law, and his family were visibly upset when jurors convicted him of pulling his gun. N----, Im from Arizona dude. The Sheriff's Posse was nationally recognized during Hill's time, and President Ronald Regan visited Sun City Posse Headquarters during this time. The ASU officer said it didn't matter if he was a deputy. That trial is scheduled to begin July 26. It was reported that he was suffering from terminal cancer. New York? Want more news like this? Phaedra Haywood, The Santa Fe New Mexican, A woman threw a house party with 65 men she matched with on Tinder and Hinge and connected with the man she's been dating for a year. 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