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Former city employee facing theft charges

The New Mexico Office of the Attorney General has made some serious allegations against a former employee at Española City Hall. The man was hired as city manager in 2019. Formally accused of theft, the criminal complaint against him alleges that he began stealing money just 10 days after he was hired.  

Investigators say the man lost a substantial amount of money at casinos between March and May, 2019. He was hired as city manager in April of that year. Reportedly, he stole money from the city to support an obsessive gambling habit.  

Missing checks, cash missing  

The former city manager is accused of stealing approximately $18,000 from a vault in city hall. Officials say that security surveillance footage show the man walking toward the direction of the vault. They also claim he comes into view on the video again, sometime later, carrying a black leather bag. The formal charges include two felonies: misuse and deposit of public funds as well as larceny of between $2,000 and $20,000. 

Other people were also in the vault on the same day 

The man was not the only person with access to the vault on the day the money went missing. In fact, at least three other people had entered the vault. This would certainly be an issue of interest to any experienced criminal defense attorney representing a client in a similar case. Anyone who has been accused of theft in New Mexico has every right to request a meeting with a criminal law attorney at the first opportunity.