Former Albuquerque Officer Sentenced in Plea Deal

Thursday, March 30, 2006



Associated Press
A former Albuquerque police officer accused of sexually assaulting and beating motorists was sentenced Thursday to 15 years in prison.
State District Judge Denise Barela Shepherd sentenced Christopher Chase to 60 years, but suspended all but 15 years — the maximum allowed under a plea deal Chase reached with prosecutors in January. She also sentenced Chase to five years of probation upon his release.
The judge rejected a defense proposal to give him a shorter prison sentence and 20 years of probation.
He had entered Alford pleas to 10 counts involving the alleged attacks, which occurred between 2001 and 2003 while he was a patrolman. Under an Alford plea, the defendant does not admit guilt, but acknowledges prosecutors may have enough evidence for a conviction.
Shepherd said Chase will be put in protective custody in prison because of his law enforcement background.
Assistant District Attorney Michael Fricke said Chase violated the public trust, his uniform and his badge.
"Chase is more than a rapist who rapes victims,'' he said. "He raped the city.''
Several people who spoke on Chase's behalf said he could not have committed the crimes.
"There has never, ever been a doubt in my mind that they have got the wrong man,'' said his wife, Darla.
Chase could have been sentenced to more than 140 years had he been found guilty of all the charges at trial.
Prosecutors accused Chase of randomly selecting vehicles to pull over, then forcing himself on the motorist. The incidents occurred both while Chase was on- and off-duty and while he was using his marked police car.
Chase was fired from the department after he was indicted June 2003 on 32 charges, including five counts of rape and two counts of criminal sexual contact.
The plea agreement includes four counts of rape, three counts of kidnapping, two counts of criminal sexual contact and one count of aggravated battery.