By Jeff Proctor
Albuquerque Journal
BERNALILLO COUNTY, NM — A longtime 2nd Judicial District Court probation officer was taken out of the courthouse and arrested Monday for allegedly selling clean urinalysis reports to individuals under court order to submit to drug testing.
After receiving a tip, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s detectives on Monday sent a confidential informant to negotiate a transaction with William Garcia, 39, BCSO spokesman Larry Koren told the Journal.
Chief District Judge Ted Baca said it was his understanding Garcia had been charged with extortion, demanding or receiving a bribe by a public official, tampering with public records and perjury.
Garcia’s bond was set at $100,000 cash only. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Monday night.
Court officials received information about Garcia’s alleged activity some time during the past week, the judge said, and passed it on to the sheriff’s office.
“The information we received had to do with one person,” Baca said. “I don’t know if it was going on before, and I don’t want to minimize this. Whether it is more detailed than this, I suspect an investigation will have to be done. I hope that it isn’t.”
In an e-mail to the Journal, Koren said Garcia had allegedly been selling clean urinalysis reports to individuals who had admitted to using narcotics.
Garcia has worked for the probation division at District Court since August 1993. His current assignment is to the Domestic Violence and Family Court divisions, court spokeswoman Juanita Duran said.
Duran said Garcia’s job duties include collecting urine samples from defendants facing domestic violence charges and from individuals involved in Family Court cases, including custody disputes and divorces.
Monday wasn’t the first time Garcia has found himself on the wrong side of the law this year.
On Jan. 21, police were called to his Northwest Albuquerque home after receiving calls about a family fight, court records show.
Garcia had allegedly gotten into an argument with a woman, possibly his wife, and had kicked in the door to the house, according to court records.
Once inside, Garcia allegedly assaulted the woman in front of a small child, court records state.
He was arrested and charged with battery, false imprisonment and aggravated assault, court records state.
District Attorney’s spokesman Pat Davis said a plea agreement has been reached in the case. Davis couldn’t comment on the agreement because prosecutors are still seeking a judge to hear it. That process is taking longer than usual because of Garcia’s job with the court.
Duran said Garcia was placed on paid leave on Jan. 25 after his arrest. He was reassigned to the courthouse reception desk on Feb. 5 and returned to his other post on April 8.
Copyright 2010 Albuquerque Journal