Private investigator first to admit guilt in offering bribes to get intoxicated drivers off the hook

A private investigator embroiled in a corruption scandal that rocked New Mexico’s law enforcement community for over a decade was the first to plead guilty to a slew of federal charges that include racketeering and bribery, according to court records released Friday.

Ricardo Mendez took part in a yearslong scheme between a law firm he worked for that specialized in defending those charged with driving while intoxicated and the Albuquerque Police Department, New Mexico State Police and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Mendez admitted that since 2008 he had been offering gifts and thousands of dollars in bribes to officers in exchange for having his clients’ cases dismissed.

“I admit that, since at least 2008, this DWI scheme I participated in constituted an enterprise (the DWI Enterprise) that engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity that included multiple acts of bribery, chargeable under New Mexico state law, as well as multiple acts of interference commerce by extortion,” Mendez wrote in his plea.

Dubbed the Driving While Intoxicated Enterprise, the scheme would allow offenders who drove while intoxicated to get off scot-free, prosecutors said.

Clients would pay Mendez or his associate an attorney retainer fee in cash, court records said. Then Mendez would pay officers in cash — $5,000 or more — or in the form of gifts or legal services to not appear in court as a necessary witness to the driving incident, resulting in the dismissal of the case, according to court records.

As the scheme continued, officers started referring DWI cases to Mendez and his associate with the ask of increased payments.

“I admit that when drivers avoid criminal culpability for DWI, they become more likely to drive while intoxicated in the future, and, the more often that a person drives while intoxicated, the more likely they are to have an accident,” Mendez said in his plea.

According to documents obtained by the Albuquerque Journal, the probe began following a stop by one of the officers in August 2023. He allegedly told the driver that he should contact a specific attorney, who, if hired, would make sure the police department would not file a case in court.

Prosecutors recommended a reduced prison sentence for Mendez as part of the plea deal.

Albuquerque Police Department’s officers had the largest share of members, according to Mendez’s admission.

Albuquerque Police Department Police Chief Harold Medina vowed to conduct an internal investigation last February. Since them, a dozen officers have resigned, been placed on administrative leave, been terminated or been temporarily reassigned per a DWI timeline from Albuquerque Police Department communications director Gilbert Gallegos. Dozens of cases have been dismissed.

The Albuquerque Police Department has made administrative changes, including the creation of a DWI unit handbook.

A deputy from Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office was placed on administrative leave last Thursday.

“Corruption has no place in law enforcement, and BCSO will fully cooperate with its federal partners,” said Sheriff John Allen, who also confirmed he has been in contact with the FBI regarding the reported involvement of the deputy in the scheme.

Mendez’s lawyer and Gallegos did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Sejal Govindarao, The Associated Press