FBI: New Mexico Sheriff and Son Arrested After Assaulting Driver
A northern New Mexico sheriff was arrested Friday on charges he cornered a driver at a dead end, threatened him with a silver revolver as the driver begged not to be shot and had him falsely charged with assault.
U.S. Attorney Damon Martinez announced Rio Arriba County Sheriff Thomas Rodella, who has had brushes with scandal throughout his career, and his son, Thomas Jr., were arrested by FBI agents at their Espanola homes in the March confrontation that left the driver injured. Authorities didn’t detail the injuries.
An indictment says the men engaged “in a high-speed pursuit and unreasonable seizure” of the driver, identified in the court papers only as M.T. The sheriff was not in uniform when he jumped out of his Jeep SUV armed with a silver revolver, court papers said.
The driver was dragged from his car and thrown into the dirt, according to the papers. Thomas Rodella Jr., then identified his father as sheriff.
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As a state police officer, Rodella was disciplined for marijuana use, improper use of a weapon, falsifying official reports, abusing sick leave and using his position for personal gain. He also was suspended for 30 days for firing at a deer decoy that game officers had set up to catch poachers.
Rodella served in the state police from 1982 until retiring in 1995 on a disability pension.
In the latest case, FBI agents raided Rodella’s home in June just hours after he lost the Democratic nomination for Rio Arriba County sheriff to challenger James Lujan by 200 votes. Lujan was a deputy Rodella had fired.
Read the rest here: FBI: Sheriff, Son Arrested After Assaulting Driver
Here are some more details from the Albuquerque Journal:
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M.T. then drove away and the chase began again, the indictment charges. The second time the Rodellas stopped the man, Sheriff Rodella, in uniform, jumped into M.T.’s car brandishing a silver revolver and assaulted the man.
The indictment charges the younger Rodella dragged the man out of his car.
Sheriff Rodella had other deputies comes to the scene and book him into the Rio Arriba Detention Center. The indictment charges that both Rodellas made false representations that the man had attempted to injure Sheriff Rodella.
The indictment also charges both men with falsifying records to charge M.T. and cover up what occurred.
They are charged with conspiracy against the free exercise of civil rights, deprivation of rights, brandishing a firearm and two counts of falsification of documents.
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The Journal also posted the indictment:
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Albuquerque TV station KOB covers news of the sheriff’s release:
Tommy Rodella to remain Rio Arriba Co. sheriff, but can’t carry weapon
Rio Arriba County Sheriff Tommy Rodella will remain sheriff but will not be allowed to carry a weapon as part of the stipulation of his release. Rodella and his son were released from federal custody Friday.
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Rodella and his son each face 10 or more years in federal prison if convicted.
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There is some video at that link, and links to earlier coverage by KOB.