Child Molestation Charges Dropped Against Former Police Officer

Associated Press

AZTEC — Child molestation charges have been dropped against a former Bloomfield police officer because of a lack of evidence, the district attorney's office said.
"The things we had to prove, we didn't think they had the evidence to move forward,'' said Deputy District Attorney Terry Walker.
Joseph Goodman, 54, had been charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one of criminal sexual contact of a minor.
The 11-year-old daughter of a former girlfriend had accused him of touching her inappropriately while the mother was out of town on a family emergency last year, according to court documents.
Goodman resigned from the Bloomfield force in February 2004.
The district attorney's office began its investigation after Goodman's arrest earlier this year, but Walker said the office could not find enough to substantiate the allegations.
"Sometimes there's not sufficient evidence to support (a case),'' she said.
The charges were dropped last month.

Former Bloomfield Officer Accused of Child Sexual Abuse

Associated Press

BLOOMFIELD — A former Bloomfield police officer has been charged with criminal sexual contact of a minor. Joseph Goodman, 54, is accused of molesting a child under the age of 13 at his home in Bloomfield, San Juan County sheriff's Detective Tyler Truby said. The allegations cover the course of a year beginning in 2004. Truby said the child told a family member, who called the sheriff's office. Goodman resigned from the Bloomfield force in February 2004, Chief Drew Standley said. Goodman had an initial appearance before Magistrate Wilma Charley. Officials said he bonded out of jail Monday.