Another one bites the dust--Jury finds Rio Arriba County sheriff guilty of two felonies

[Ponietz]

Lujan today lives down fully to his predecessor Tommy Rodella’s legacy. I know the probable next sheriff to be honest and hope the power doesn’t make him stupid, too.

After only a few hours of deliberations, a Santa Fe County jury found Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan guilty Wednesday of aiding a felon and intimidating a witness in March 2017.

The verdict came after a three-day trial for Lujan — his second on the charges, which stem from allegations he helped former Española City Councilor Philip Chacon evade police following a high-speed chase. The first trial in the case, held in a Tierra Amarilla courtroom, ended in a mistrial after jurors deadlocked.

Special prosecutor Andrea Reeb, the district attorney in the 9th Judicial District, argued Lujan knew Chacon had fled from Española city police and went to his home to help him avoid arrest.

Reeb told the jury Lujan believes the law "does not apply to him like it applies to everybody else."

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/jury-finds-rio-arriba-county-sheriff-guilty-of-two-felonies/article_aa4c58ba-52fb-11ec-bd90-ab2c002fc1d5.html|

[marble falls]

1. I wish that were the worst thing that happened today.

[Ponietz]

2. Gets 3 years in prison and parole

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/rio-arriba-county-sheriff-james-lujan-sentenced-to-3-years-taken-into-custody/article_01955b14-5386-11ec-89da-53a270046f32.html|