DA’s office: 17 more DWI cases dismissed

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office has had to dismiss 17 more DWI cases, a spokesperson confirmed to KOB 4.

Of the 17 dismissed cases, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeff Hammerel was the officer on 13 of them. The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office put him on leave late last month.

Last year, the district attorney’s office dismissed 230 cases due to the “DWI Deception” scandal. KOB 4 uncovered the basis of the scandal, confirmed in a plea agreement Ricardo “Rick” Mendez took late last month. Mendez worked as a paralegal for local defense attorney Thomas Clear III, who is also implicated in this case.

In Mendez’s plea, he claims APD, BCSO, and NMSP officers would arrest someone suspected of drunk driving. Then, they would then reportedly direct them to Clear and not show up to hearings so the cases would be dismissed. 

In exchange, Mendez claims those officers would get money or other gifts.

Mendez is facing up to 110 years in jail. However, he will likely serve less time because he took this plea deal. 

The New Mexico Supreme Court gave Clear until Feb. 10 to prove why he shouldn’t face disciplinary action for his alleged role in these cases. Disciplinary action could include being suspended from practicing law in state courts.

Clear also has until Feb. 28 to respond to a similar order issued by a federal judge.