Latest news with #Hammerel
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Yahoo
Bernalillo County deputy pleads guilty, implicates supervisor in DWI corruption case
Feb. 25—A Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office deputy pleaded guilty Tuesday as the latest law enforcement officer to be federally charged for his role in a sophisticated extortion and bribery scheme to help a local attorney get DWI cases dismissed. But in this instance, the former deputy contended he had the help of an unidentified sheriff's supervisor, who records show has not yet been charged. BCSO deputy Jeff Hammerel, 39, pleaded guilty to receiving a bribe, extortion and conspiracy in federal court on Tuesday. Sheriff John Allen announced Tuesday that Hammerel had resigned before accepting the plea deal. "The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office holds its deputies to the highest ethical and professional standards. Any violation of the public's trust will not be tolerated," Allen said in a statement. "While this matter is now in the hands of the federal justice system, we remain committed to transparency and accountability." In the statement, Allen said BCSO would "defer further comment to the appropriate authorities handling the case." "We are actively reviewing our internal policies and procedures to strengthen oversight and prevent future misconduct," he said. Allen had placed Hammerel on leave on Jan. 24 after the FBI interviewed him in its investigation into one of the largest public corruption cases in New Mexico history. Then on Monday, Allen placed BCSO Undersheriff Johann Jareno on leave after he was also recently interviewed by federal agents. Jareno is the highest-ranking law enforcement official to be tied to the case so far. Hammerel is the first member of BCSO to plead guilty or be charged in the case. Three Albuquerque Police Department officers and the alleged ringleaders in the scheme, attorney Thomas Clear III and his paralegal Ricardo "Rick" Mendez, have all taken plea deals in the case. In plea agreements, Clear and Mendez admitted to running an organized operation since 2008 to get DWI cases dismissed by paying off APD, BCSO and State Police personnel. Federal prosecutors in charging Hammerel on Tuesday went beyond the language of the guilty plea by stating, "To ensure successful operation of the scheme, Mendez contacted persons in authority at BCSO, including a supervisory BCSO deputy, to ensure that participating conspiring officers, including Hammerel, would not get in trouble for failing to appear at required settings." Prosecutors didn't identify the BCSO supervisor or name any other person in authority at BCSO involved in the scheme. In his plea agreement, Hammerel said he joined BCSO's DWI unit in 2013 and began coordinating with Mendez, Clear and the unnamed BCSO supervisor in 2017. Hammerel states that the BCSO supervisor "provided me assurances that I would not get in trouble for failing to appear" at court hearings, pre-trial interviews and other trial settings so DWI cases get dropped. Hammerel said he was paid in cash and "Christmas gifts and gifts in connection with the birth of a child," according to the plea agreement. The Albuquerque Police Department has placed 12 officers on leave and 10 have since resigned, retired or been fired as the department conducted its own internal probe into the allegations. BCSO has two deputies, including Hammerel, on leave, and State Police has placed Toby LaFave on leave in the case. The investigation came to light in January 2024 after FBI agents raided the homes of several Albuquerque officers, Mendez's home and Clear's law office. In the fallout of the investigation, and because the officers' credibility potentially could be questioned, 2nd Judicial District Attorney Sam Bregman's office has dismissed more than 200 DWI cases that were pending at the time of the FBI searches.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Yahoo
Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputy pleads guilty in DWI Unit scandal
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The first Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office deputy named in the DWI Unit scandal has pled guilty to federal extortion and bribery charges. Jeff Hammerel was placed on leave in January after he was implicated after the first person in the scandal, Rick Mendez, pled guilty. Hammerel resigned from BCSO on Tuesday. Related Coverage: APD chief talks DWI officers convicted by feds, explains impact on internal investigation Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputy pleads guilty in DWI Unit scandal BCSO undersheriff resigns amid DWI dismissal scandal New Mexico State Police Chief addresses federal probe of DWI Sgt. DWI Advocate Reacts To Corruption Scheme Hammerel joined BCSO in February 2010 and served in the DWI Unit from January 2013 to November 2024. After going through court records, KRQE Investigates found that he had 24 cases with former attorney Thomas Clear III, and 15 of those cases were dismissed. Earlier this month, Clear III admitted to running the scheme. Former APD officers Honorio Alba Jr., Joshua Montaño, and Neill Elsman all pled guilty to charges relating to the scandal. New Mexico State Police Officer Toby Lafave has been placed on leave relating to the scandal. Former BCSO Undersheriff Johann Jareno resigned on Monday. Jareno has been placed on the Giglio List which means his credibility in court has been questioned. The Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office said it is reviewing Jareno's cases to determine if any need to be dismissed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
