BSCO Undersheriff resigns after FBI questioning about DWI scandal — By Colleen Heild, Albuquerque Journal
Bernalillo County Undersheriff Johann Jareno resigned Monday as the FBI investigation widened into a decades-old criminal racketeering enterprise in which Albuquerque-area law enforcement officers accepted bribes to help a local defense attorney and his office get DWI cases dismissed.
BCSO Sheriff John Allen, in a statement, said he was informed by the FBI on Saturday “of an ongoing inquiry that implicates a member of our command staff in the broader investigation into DWI case manipulations. Given the seriousness of the investigation, I took immediate action to preserve the integrity of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office.”
“To prevent any potential conflicts of interest and ensure our agency’s focus remains on our mission,” Allen said he asked for Jareno’s resignation, effective Monday. Jareno has not been charged criminally and couldn’t be immediately reached for comment Monday afternoon.
He is among 13 law enforcement officers, most from the Albuquerque Police Department, to have resigned, retired, or been terminated since the FBI executed five searches in January 2024 at four residences and the law office of prominent DWI attorney Thomas Clear III. Last week, New Mexico State Police placed longtime DWI Sgt. Toby LaFave on administrative leave in connection with the FBI investigation. BCSO placed Deputy Jeff Hammerel on administrative leave earlier this month in connection with the investigation.
Clear has pleaded guilty, along with his office investigator Ricardo “Rick” Mendez, and three former APD DWI officers, to bribery, racketeering conspiracy, and extortion as participating in the organized criminal enterprise that dates back to the mid-1990s, according to federal records.
Law enforcement officers involved alerted Mendez and Clear to the contact information for motorists they arrested for DWI, and received cash, gifts and other services in exchange for intentionally failing to show up to required pretrial hearings, or furnishing discovery evidence in cases where the suspects hired Clear. Clear would then file motions to dismiss the charges. Clients whose cases were dismissed would typically pay more in legal fees, but some weren't aware of the scheme, according to federal prosecutors.
Jareno began his employment as a deputy with BCSO in March 2009, serving in the DWI Unit from December 2011 until October 2019. Allen appointed him as undersheriff in January 2023.
Jareno emigrated from Chile and became a U.S. citizen with the goal of becoming a deputy with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office in 2009, according to a prior news release.
“Overall, the ongoing DWI investigation has shed light on deep-seated issues in law enforcement that predate my administration, which began in January 2023,” Allen said. “I am profoundly disappointed by these revelations, which undermine the hard-earned trust between the community and law enforcement. As Sheriff, my foremost responsibility is to safeguard the trust and safety of our community, which we can only achieve through transparency and ethical conduct.”
“... We are fully cooperating with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure that all aspects of this investigation are thoroughly addressed. I am grateful for the FBI bringing this new development to my attention directly and due to the ongoing nature of this federal inquiry, our comments must be measured, but be assured that transparency and communication will continue to be a priority of my administration.”
BCSO is undertaking a “thorough review of our internal policies and control mechanisms to prevent such incidents in the future.” he stated. “Part of this initiative includes the creation of a new accountability and compliance role, enhancing our ability to monitor and enforce ethical conduct within our ranks.”
“The trust between the public and law enforcement is sacred, and I am committed to actions that strengthen this bond,” Allen said. “We will be proactive in strengthening this relationship through continuous improvement of our operational practices and technological capabilities. This includes enhancements to our monitoring of court attendances and other critical areas of our operations.”
Vasquez slams immigration agents over incident with high school athletes - New Mexico Political Report
Last week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents boarded a charter bus with Las Cruces high school athletes on their way to a swim meet in Albuquerque. The driver reportedly didn’t speak English, which led to the agents entering the bus to question the students over the objections of coaches.
State and local leadership with the American Federation of Teachers New Mexico issued a statement that said, “Under no circumstance should students be harassed, intimidated, or frightened by federal agents either while in school or while participating in school activities.”
U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez held a press conference Monday to discuss the situation, where he said there was no place for border patrol agents to harass students.
“Harassing and frightening children does not make New Mexico safer,” he said.
In the press conference, in which he spoke both English and Spanish, Vasquez noted that many New Mexico residents speak Spanish and that should not be a cause for questioning their immigration status.
“Unfortunately, this incident is not an isolated one,” Vasquez said.
He cited an incident in which a member of the Mescalero Apache tribe was questioned by an immigration agent.
Vasquez also said there are anonymous reports across the district of residents feeling “threatened or otherwise had to answer to Customs and Border Patrol or ICE agents.”
Vasquez sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding information on the incident and said he wanted “full transparency” on what happened.
He also said, in response to a media question, “legislation is merited to make sure we prevent these types of abuses.”
Whitney Holland, the president of the American Federation of Teachers New Mexico, said this situation was different because agents boarded the bus and yelled at the students.
In a press release, the Republican Party of New Mexico sided with the border patrol agents.
“These officers are not to be feared. They are protectors of our communities, ensuring that our laws are upheld, and our citizens are secure,” Republican Party of New Mexico Chairwoman Amy Barela said. “Rep. Vasquez’s reckless rhetoric demonizes law enforcement, stoking fear among our youth and undermining the trust we need in those who serve.”
In a statement on Bluesky, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich said, “Trump’s border patrol agents should focus on solving real problems like going after the cartels responsible for driving the fentanyl crisis that’s killing our children and ripping apart families. Not harassing our kids on their way to a swim meet.”
Bill clarifying local control of school calendars moves forward in the Legislature - By Leah Romero, Source New Mexico
Legislation that would allow local school districts to determine their own calendars for the school year — a proposal that aligns with a recent court decision — advanced unanimously through the House Education Committee Monday morning.
House Bill 65, sponsored by Reps. Gail Armstrong (R-Magdalena) and Rebecca Dow (R-Truth or Consequences), clarifies the state requirements for school instructional time in the Public School Code.
Since Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed House Bill 130 into law in 2023, public school students in K-12 have been required to receive a minimum of 1,140 instructional hours per year. Lawmakers increased instructional hours in response to the ruling in the landmark Yazzie-Martinez education lawsuit, which found the state was not providing equitable opportunities to at-risk students.
The Public Education Department, under former Secretary Arsenio Romero, established a rule requiring schools adopt a 180-day school calendar in March 2024 as a way of providing additional instructional hours. The New Mexico School Superintendents Association sued the PED over the mandate in April 2024 because they claimed it conflicted with state law.
Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Dustin K. Hunter agreed and recently ruled the PED lacks the authority to mandate a minimum number of instructional days. The PED still has time to appeal the court’s decision. Janelle Garcia, communications director for the PED, told Source NM that the department is “dissatisfied” with the decision.
“PED firmly believes that our students can achieve better educational outcomes when we maximize learning opportunities, as the rule intended. PED is currently in the process of reviewing the decision for the purposes of determining the appropriate next steps,” Garcia said in a statement.
Stan Rounds, executive director of the New Mexico School Superintendents Association, joined Armstrong Monday to address the House Education Committee and said HB65 will erase any uncertainty surrounding instructional hours.
“This codifies, in my opinion, what the court ruled. Once you codify the statute and sign and put it into law, then it’s not of any question,” Rounds said. He added that the bill includes an emergency clause, meaning the bill will go into effect immediately if signed by the governor, to stop any challenge to the rule if PED appeals the court’s decision.
Representatives from AFT (American Federation of Teachers) New Mexico, Public Charter Schools of New Mexico, New Mexico School Board Association, New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association and Grady Municipal Schools all spoke in favor of the bill, citing local control of the calendar as a benefit.
Colt Grau, president of the school board for Grady Municipal Schools in Curry County, highlighted his school district’s high performance under a four-day a week schedule.
“We should know [students’] circumstances and that of their families,” Grau said during the meeting. “We do as a board and I do personally as a father of two elementary-aged children. Respectfully, agency officials in Santa Fe don’t, nor can they be expected to. They need to understand that New Mexico school districts cannot function effectively with a one-size-fits all approach.”
House Education Committee members voiced their agreement with local control and quickly passed HB65 through the committee unanimously. It now heads to the House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee.
City says sweeps paused for homeless count, but counters cry foul - Damon Scott, City Desk ABQ
City officials said late last year that encampment sweeps would be suspended during an annual count of those experiencing homelessness, who are living on the street or in shelters. The agreement was to be in effect from Jan. 23 to Jan. 29 — meant to ensure that scores of homelessness advocates and volunteers fanning out across the city could get the most accurate count, which has implications for federal funding.
But some who visited cul-de-sacs, alleys, bike trails, arroyos and busy intersections, armed with clipboards to engage with those on the street, say the city didn’t live up to its end of the deal.
“I begged the administration to keep their word and avoid encampment sweeps during the count, but they did not,” James Freeman said at Wednesday’s Albuquerque City Council meeting.
Freeman, a director at homeless services provider HopeWorks, said he was a team lead on 12 shifts during the weeklong count. He said other team leaders, volunteers and staff at the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness — the group that organizes the count — also reported sweeps were taking place.
When the city conducts a sweep, those in encampments tend to scatter. Some accept offers of services, which includes transportation to the city’s Gateway West shelter or other facilities, but many move into residential areas, in alleys, or behind vacant buildings to try to stay out of sight — the situation counters were hoping to avoid.
But even if an accurate count — called the point-in-time or PIT count — results in a number that makes people wince or is perceived to be bad press for the city, an undercount means fewer people will receive services through U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds. In 2023, the Albuquerque count was 2,394, and in 2024 it was 2,740. While both years represent historically high levels, Mayor Tim Keller’s own estimates are that there are at least 5,000 unhoused people in the city.
“It is unrealistic that any agency or group will be able to reduce the unhoused population without an accurate count,” Freeman said. “Actively working to undermine the count is mind blowing.”
But at the same City Council meeting, Chief Administrative Officer Samantha Sengel said the city honored its agreement.
“We worked with the advocacy groups and coordinated with them that we would not clear encampments and move people in each of the zones that they provided to us,” she said. “That does not mean that we were not still out cleaning up in the streets and working to make sure that we cleaned up refuse and trash.”
Senegal said Albuquerque Fire Rescue personnel, for example, were still responding to reports of outdoor fires that tend to pop up in some encampments.
“So, yes, City of Albuquerque staff might have been seen in the areas, but it was not to clear encampments in the agreed upon zones,” she said.
Janus Herrera, one of the most active advocates for those experiencing homelessness in the city, said there was at least some confusion from city workers about the dates of the count, however. She said on the last day — Jan. 29 — she encountered Solid Waste Department workers who appeared to be clearing an encampment.
“When I let them know the PIT was in progress and they should not be doing encampment clearings, they told me that the PIT was already over,” Herrera said. “I told them, ‘no, it’s not, because here I am doing the PIT, here’s my clipboard.’”
The results of the 2025 count are expected to be released sometime in the summer.
Kirtland airman dead and another injured in shootout with base personnel - Matthew Reisen, Albuquerque Journal
A shooting between a Kirtland Air Force Base airman and base security members left the airman dead and a security member injured early Saturday morning near the Truman entrance to the base.
A KAFB news release said members of the 377th Security Forces Squadron responded around 2 a.m. to “an incident” involving an airman at the Truman Gate, which is off Gibson, west of San Mateo, in Southeast Albuquerque.
The initial encounter led to KAFB security chasing the airman off base and ending with “shots fired” by security members, according to the release, leaving the airman dead and a security member injured.
“One Airman received a nonfatal gunshot wound to the hand and was transported to (University of New Mexico) Medical Center for treatment,” according to the release. “He has since been released with no life-threatening injuries.”
The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is working with the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department to investigate the incident.
“There is currently no threat to the public,” KAFB said in the release. “To protect the integrity of the open investigation, we cannot provide additional details at this time.”
The release did not identify the airman who was killed and pronounced dead at the scene, which was cordoned off from San Mateo and Gibson to the base entrance, where the incident began.
Saturday morning, several Kirtland security vehicles and crime scene tape set a perimeter in the area across from the Taco Bell at San Mateo and Gibson, east of the Truman Gate. Within the perimeter, on the road that leads toward the gate, a body could be seen on the ground.
Santa Fe Superintendent resigns amid sexual harassment allegations - Santa Fe New Mexican, KUNM News
Santa Fe Public Schools announced Friday that Superintendent Larry Chavez has resigned following sexual harassment allegations by a former assistant principal.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that while Chavez will continue to be paid out of his remaining vacation leave until the end of June, he’ll be immediately replaced by an interim superintendent. The school board announced former superintendent Veronica García will step back into the role.
Former Santa Fe High School assistant principal and current city councilor Amanda Chavez filed the sexual harassment and retaliation allegations with the district back in December. However, her attorneys announced them publicly earlier last week, saying the district informed her just days after her complaint that its officials were able to substantiate her allegations.
The board met for a special closed-door board meeting Friday, after which they announced Larry Chavez had filed his resignation the day before. Board member Sarah Boses said the board could not respond to the allegations or whether they’d been substantiated.
The board authorized that an ongoing internal investigation into the allegations continue. A timeline released by the district after the meeting says the board first discussed that investigation in mid-December, about a week after the allegations were made.
Resolution to eliminate education cabinet secretary position advances - By Leah Romero, Source New Mexico
A proposal to amend the New Mexico Constitution and reconfigure public education governance passed the Senate Education Committee Friday and advances to the Senate Finance Committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 3, sponsored by Sen. Bill Soules (D-Las Cruces), chair of the Senate Education Committee, received a do-pass by a vote of 7-2 by committee members. The Senate Rules Committee previously advanced the bill without recommendation.
The resolution proposes amending the state Constitution to shift oversight of the Public Education Department from a governor-appointed cabinet secretary to a superintendent of public schools hired by a public schools board. If the resolution passes, it will be up to voters to decide during the next general election.
Soules pointed out to committee members Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration has had five public education cabinet secretaries thus far.
“Education needs consistent leadership at the top,” he said during the meeting.
The Senate Education Committee adopted an amendment to SJR 3 Friday, to make sure there is still a separate Public Education Commission in place to authorize charter schools in the state.
The state school board would be made up of 10 elected members and five appointed by the governor. They would determine department policies and appoint a superintendent.
The proposed structure is how governance was organized up until former Gov. Bill Richardson’s administration, when voters approved a constitutional amendment creating a cabinet-level position to lead the Public Education Department. Former Sen. Steven Neville (R-Aztec) and President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque) introduced a similar resolution in 2023, which passed the Senate but died before a House vote.
Representatives from the New Mexico School Board Association, New Mexico Coalition of Educational Leaders, New Mexico School Superintendents, Albuquerque Teacher Federation and a current Public Education Commissioner all spoke in favor of the resolution.
“It’s very important that a superintendent go beyond three years in order to enact change within his district. It’s no different at the state level. Matter of fact, it’s very much more important,” Martin Madrid, president of the New Mexico School Superintendents Association, said during the meeting. “In my short tenure as the president since June, I’ve had to build a relationship with two separate secretaries.”
Members of NewMexicoKidsCAN, the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, New Mexico Chamber of Commerce, Think New Mexico and Teach Plus New Mexico voiced their opposition to changing the governance of public education in the state as a way to address shortcomings in student performance.
“I worry it will include more chaos as we make all of these transitions,” Amanda Aragon, executive director of NewMexicoKidsCAN, said. “I think you need look no further than the local school board elections in your own districts to know that school board elections are becoming really, really political.”
Mariana Padilla, secretary designate of the Public Education Department, also voiced her opposition to the bill, noting that the time and resources it will take to restructure the department “would be much better spent on focusing on the educational initiatives and needs of our students and our educators.”
“There is no body of research that indicates that a state school board structure is a better governance structure,” Padilla told committee members.
Trump Administration eyes two NM military sites for immigrant detention – New York Times, KUNM News
The New York Times is reporting the Trump Administration is planning to detain people who are in the country without legal status at military sites across the United States, including Fort Bliss and Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico.
The Times did not identify its sources, noting they are three officials familiar with the plan. Fort Bliss, which straddles New Mexico and Texas, could eventually hold up to 10,000 people and serve as a deportation hub.
In previous administrations, bases served as emergency backups for migrant children when the government’s shelter system hit capacity. But the Times writes this plan would create a national network of detention facilities and marks a “major escalation in the militarization of immigration enforcement.”
The White House referred requests for comment about the plan to the Defense and Homeland Security Departments, which did not respond to those requests from the Times.
A former official with Customs and Border Protection told the Times military facilities are not designed for projects like this, and securing people requires a lot of labor and resources.
The Biden Administration temporarily housed thousands of migrant children and teenagers at Fort Bliss and an internal watchdog for the Department of Health and Human Services found they suffered distress and panic attacks because there was a lack of resources and training by officials.
Relief in sight for farmers worried about federal funding freeze - Alice Fordham, KUNM News
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is set to release a tranche of funding that was paused. Late Thursday, the new Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced in a statement that contracts made directly with farmers will be honored.
Specifically, the department is releasing about $20 million in contracts made under three programs designed to support conservation practices. Secretary Rollins said they had been paused as part of a review of funding under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
Democratic U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández has said farmers across New Mexico have not received expected payments, or are worried they would not receive payments on time, amid a broad freeze in federal funding.
Secretary Rollins said in the statement that this is the first tranche of released funding and additional announcements are forthcoming. She added the department would ensure programs were not supporting diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility or "far-left climate programs".