By Matt Robinson
Deming Headlight
LUNA COUNTY, N.M. — The investigation into funds missing from the Luna County Detention Center is complete, but the destination of the funds is unknown.
Officials from the Sixth Judicial District Attorney’s Office, including the lead on the case, chief deputy DA Gerald Byers, met with the Luna County Board of Commissioners in a private closed to the public session Thursday following the county’s regular July meeting.
“It was very disappointing,” Chairman Javier Diaz said of the meeting. “Their investigation concluded that there is money missing.”
But Diaz said it is not known where the money went. Former Luna County manager John Sutherland, Jr. and District No. 1 Commissioner Joe “Oleo” Milo declined to comment on the meeting.
“While comprehensive and meticulous, ultimately the investigation has not uncovered sufficient evidence to support prosecution of any particular person(s),” a press release from the DA’s office detailed.
“The lack of internal safeguards and procedures within the Luna County Detention Center during the time period in question, which predated 2009 and covered several years, as well as the Detention
Center’s lack of accurate record keeping, limited the ability of the auditors and the state to determine facts essential for prosecution.
“Additionally, persons of interest who might have been able to provide missing information either could not or chose not to do so.”
When asked if the lack of evidence tying the missing funds to a specific place is a reflection on the bookkeeping at the facility, Sutherland said the books were a “mess” but stressed his comments were “totally unrelated” to the meeting just held with the DA’s office.
“We sat with the auditor, my god, they couldn’t find receipts, they couldn’t verify money came in,” Sutherland said. “It was terrible.”
In May, he said the total missing funds amounted to about $60,000 and that the irregularities occurred before his administration and John Kriehbel’s, who has since been put on leave as the detention center’s warden.
The audit cost the county $40,000. It was requested to be held by the DA’s office during a Jan. 2010 meeting in which the county was briefed that irregularities were found.
The audit was performed by White + Samaniego + Campbell, LLP, an El Paso-based certified public accounting firm.
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