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New Mexico Cop Charged With Taking Bribes Also Was Involved in a Bizarre Case of Drug War Infighting
Bernalillo County sheriff’s deputy Paul Jessen Jr. has been charged with taking bribes from Albuquerque lawyer Thomas J. Clear III to undermine DWI cases. The indictment alleges Jessen avoided cash and accepted goods and services instead; his case also connects to a separate episode of conflict between local and federal drug investigators.
The alleged benefits included a large television, tools, a generator, gift cards, hotel stays and legal services. The legal services related to an investigation that led to separate charges: Jessen was convicted last July of helping tip off drug dealer and informant Rod White about DEA activity, partly because he and another deputy resented the agency’s involvement in their cases. White’s home was later found to contain more than 470 grams of methamphetamine, fentanyl pills and a firearm; 13 people have pleaded guilty in the long-running DWI bribery scheme.
In short
- Deputy Paul Jessen faces a federal bribery charge.
- Alleged payments included goods, hotel stays and legal services.
- His separate conviction involved tipping off a drug informant.
Explained simply
Bernalillo County is the sheriff’s jurisdiction around Albuquerque, New Mexico. DWI means driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, and prosecutors can bring criminal cases against people accused of it. Lawyers may represent defendants in those cases, while sheriff’s deputies can be involved in investigating them.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a federal agency that investigates illegal drug activity. Local officers and federal agents may work on overlapping cases, which can sometimes lead to disputes over who is handling an investigation. A confidential informant is someone who gives investigators information, often while remaining out of public view.
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