Espaola Police arrested Rio Arriba County Undersheriff Martin Trujillo Friday afternoon, after he was charged with criminal solicitation to commit assisting in assault upon a peace officer. Bowles brought up Lattins past disciplinary actions for lying to fellow police officers about his military experience. After consulting with law enforcement officials in both Espaola and Taos, it was decided that Trujillos retirement would be a good way to resolve it.. 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. Efforts to reach Navarrette by phone Tuesday were unsuccessful. These charges stemmed from Lujans attempts to assist former Espaola City Councilor Phillip Chacon when he took over a crime scene at Chacons home in 2020 and also helped him in avoiding police by leading them on a high speed chase in 2017. The road to those decisions was rocky. ALBUQUERQUEU.S. However, Volkmer said the officers unnecessarily escalated the situation and wished they would have handled it differently. We won't share it with anyone else. Attempts to contact Terrance Garcia were unsuccessful. We found at least 400 Brady-level matters never resulted in an official case before the state board. Reeb also argued heavy media coverage of the trial made it difficult to find jurors without knowledge of the allegations against Lujan. Records show, he was previously fired from the Yavapai County Sheriffs Office for lying to a supervisor. In an interview, Pinal County Attorney Kent Volkmer said he believes Superior has improved as a department since the incident and thinks Peterson did passively resist arrest. @Copwatchtv has been following the saga between the Rio Arriba Sheriff and Espaola Police Department. Commissioners dont get involved in the day-to-day operations of the county. He was, however, elected the following yearfor the 1926-27 term. Rio Rancho. Each county attorneys office keeps their own list in their own way, applying all different standards for what misconduct belongs. Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Office contact information: Tierra Amarilla Sheriff's Office 149 State Rd 162 - Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico 87575 Landline: (575) 588-7271 Fax: (575) 588-7194 Espaola Sheriff's Office 1122 Industrial Park Road - Espanola, New Mexico 87532 Landline: (505) 753-3329 Fax: (505) 753-9812 Administrative Hours: Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. She thought it was "utterly inappropriate" for Lujan's supporters to hold a barbecue on court grounds during his trial without discussing it with her, she added. An ABC15 investigation found Superior's police force is filled with discredited cops, who've been enabled by a broken Brady list system that lets them escape lasting accountability and keeps . The spokesperson declined to comment further, but said that "Deputy Navarrette is currently the subject of an internal investigation related to this incident, and as such we cannot discuss the case.". Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan is not above the law. "America's Toughest Sheriff" was dethroned in the 2016 election by Paul Penzone, and ended his 24 years in office, the longest run of any sheriff in Maricopa County. During opening statements at the trial in 1st Judicial District Court in Tierra Amarilla on Wednesday, attorneys pointed fingers at who they said were the bad apples in the case: Lujan or the officers responding to the warrants for the fugitive Lujan is accused of harboring. The prosecutor broached the idea of moving the cases to another judicial district, in San Juan or Doa Ana County, for example, but both Biedscheid and McGarry Ellenwood elected to keep the cases in the First Judicial District, which includes Rio Arriba, Santa Fe and Los Alamos counties. He achievements span from expandingposses in number and function, to using bloodhounds for searching. During Lujans trial, Lattin testified that the sheriff had asked him to follow him to Chacons house to help serve a restraining order. "While all elected officials have a duty to fulfill the . They put their trust in you to uphold the law and you let them down, said First District Court Judge Kathleen Ellenwood. The Family Dollar incident, Trujillo continued, was the last straw.. William Cunningham had a short time as sheriff, just two weeks, as he finished out John Walker's term, according to Arizona Fraternal Order of Police. While Espaola police were attempting to execute a search warrant at Chacons home following a stabbing that occurred on his property, the sheriff showed up, allegedly drunk, and attempted to take over the scene. N----, Im from Arizona dude. It was reported that he was suffering from terminal cancer. In 2004, Agnos was found dead, the cause being a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Dude, I understand but can I, can I, maybe someone else, put, like, behind the wheel? We don't share or sell your info. Records show, he was fired from the Pinal County Sheriffs Office for sucker-punching someone at a Tempe bar and then fleeing officers. While at UNM, he worked the New Mexico Daily Lobo, serving as both sports and managing editor. There was a problem saving your notification. His farm was located between Seventh and 23rd avenues on the south side of what we now call Broadway Road, according to Arizona Fraternal Order of Police. Tabitha Clay is an investigative journalist with a focus on criminal justice and policing. According to Clays affidavit, Lujan later told her: We are going to send [Aquino] to anger management class and use of force training., Romero said in an affidavit dated Aug. 6, 2020, that Terrance Garcia at the time, a police officer in Cuba threatened to retaliate against him to prevent him from sharing damaging information Garcia had shared about his family and officials in Rio Arriba County regarding a scheme to frame Mr. Aquino., Romeros affidavit says Garcia said the plot against Aquino was related to his investigation of embezzlement and misuse of County property., The affidavit also says that after Aquino applied for a job with Cuba police, Garcia tried to sway him against hiring Aquino by bragging about his familys political pull in Rio Arriba County.. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. The jurors felt their conversations could be heard by people outside the courtroom. House approves retail crime bill that could lead to stiffer sentences on 62-3 vote. I am extremely satisfied with the conviction, Reeb said following the verdict. Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan, whose two criminal trials were already moved to Santa Fe County, will have the cases heard by Santa Fe County jurors, a judge ruled Thursday. This happens to people every day and they dont do nothing about it, Peterson said. 'Wow, I'm handcuffed,' Sheriff Lujan said to . 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. A man of firsts, George Mowry was the first sheriff to serve two consecutive terms, which he did from 1875 to 1878. Email addresses are used solely for verification and to speed the verification process for repeat questioners. The jury began deliberations around 3 p.m. Thursday, but by around 2:30 p.m. Friday, McGarry declared the mistrial. This Rio Arriba County New Mexico Most Wanted List posts the top 50-100 fugitive criminals on the run. Then that puts my job at risk, right? Navarrette said. Walker also served as a jailer, first deputy, undersheriff,District Court clerk and two terms as county treasurer, according to Arizona Fraternal Order of Police. Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan, who replaced a sheriff convicted in a road-rage case, is now the target of a new investigation himself. Local News. During his first term he created the "Urgency Fund," which eliminated the delays of deputies being refunded for work expenses. Agnos also instated 100 percent pay for employees injured on the job, which was then adopted by the nation. He also was involved as part of the Territorial Council in movingthe capital from Prescott to Phoenix, according to Arizona Fraternal Order of Police. The county manager does all that. Back in May, Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan was arrested after refusing to hand over his cell phone when Espaola Police, with the help of the Taos County Sheriff's Office,. But should you turn them in? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The jury was split 8-4, with the majority believing Lujan was innocent on both counts, said defense attorney Jason Bowles. "Dont put my f------ career at risk," the deputy can be heard telling an officer in footage of the arrest. Hill established psychiatric units in jails, as well as built the Towers Jail and the Bell/Dysart Substation and jail. During his time as sheriff from 1879 to 1880, Ruben Thomas conducted Maricopa County's onlylegal execution, according to Arizona Fraternal Order of Police. He also questioned the credibility of the prosecutions key witness, Cody Lattin, a Rio Arriba County deputy at the time. Jefferson Davis Adams was the first Maricopa County sheriff, serving three terms from 1912 to 1916 as well as finishing Jerry Sullivan's term after his death. Soriano had been arrested by police earlier in the day. I hope the citizens of Rio Arriba can rebuild their faith in the Rio Arriba Sheriffs Office under new leadership., She added: Most importantly, I want to thank the Espaola Police Department for their continued support in the prosecution of all these matters. According to reporting done by the Albuquerque Journal, Trujillo had been charged with aggravated assault on a peace officer for an incident that occurred on May 21, 2020. Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan and his attorneys walk out of the courtroom in Tierra Amarilla for the lunch break on the first day of his trial. The video shows Aquinos physical altercation with George Vigil, who later filed a lawsuit against the county over his treatment by Aquino. Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan is not above the law. 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