By T.J. Wilham, Albuquerque Journal Staff Writer
An Albuquerque police officer accused of raping a female suspect has resigned.
Officer David Maes, 28, was placed on paid administrative leave two months ago following his Oct. 11 arrest on charges of criminal sexual penetration in connection with the sexual assault of an inmate he was transporting.
Maes has not been indicted by a grand jury.
Police Chief Ray Schultz said Tuesday his investigators had just completed a criminal investigation into the incident and were starting an internal inquiry when Maes resigned.
Schultz said Maes likely would have been fired if he hadn't quit.
"It was the right thing for him to do," Schultz said. "His biggest concern at this point is the criminal investigation."
According to court records, Maes was arrested six days after a woman told Metropolitan Detention Center officers that she had been raped by Maes while en route to jail.
The woman had been arrested after a stolen car she was riding in was involved in a crash.
While detectives were questioning the woman, she complained her vision was blurry and was taken to Lovelace Hospital for treatment.
Maes was assigned to guard her and transport her to jail once she received treatment. While at the hospital, Maes allegedly sexually assaulted the woman in an exam area and then assaulted her again when he stopped at a baseball field before taking her to jail, according to court records.
Maes had been an Albuquerque police officer since Jan. 22, 2005.Cr
Showing posts with label Criminal Cops. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Criminal Cops. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
October 22nd Events In Albuquerque
Day of Action To Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation
films:
The Legacy of Torture: The War Against the Black Panther Party
The Thin Blue Line
Join us at:
Out 'chYonda, 7 p.m.
929 4th Street SW
open community forum/discussion
gentrification and the police state
www.copwatch505.blogspot.com
copwatch505@riseup.net
films:
The Legacy of Torture: The War Against the Black Panther Party
The Thin Blue Line
Join us at:
Out 'chYonda, 7 p.m.
929 4th Street SW
open community forum/discussion
gentrification and the police state
www.copwatch505.blogspot.com
copwatch505@riseup.net
Friday, May 25, 2007
Vice Cop Charged In Rape of Girl
By T.J. Wilham, Journal Staff Writer
An undercover Albuquerque police vice detective faces charges on suspicion of raping a 14-year-old girl he met through a dating service, police said.
Late Tuesday, 13-year APD veteran Timothy J. Chavez, 33, was in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center on charges of kidnapping and criminal sexual penetration, jail records show. His bail has been set at $75,000.
Chavez, who is expected to be arraigned today in Metropolitan Court, was identified by the alleged victim in a restaurant last week.
Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz announced the "sad news" during a Tuesday news conference.
"We feel it is very important to get the news out to the community," Schultz said.
According to a Metropolitan Court criminal complaint, the girl, who lives in Northwest Albuquerque, called police on April 22 and reported that a man she met through a dating service had raped her.
She said she called the service that day and connected with a man over a chat line for about 10 minutes.
Eventually, the man asked if he could come over to the girl's home. The girl agreed, gave him directions and waited in her front yard for him to arrive, court records say.
When the man, who police said was Chavez, arrived, the girl "immediately" told him that she did not want to have sex, according to arrest records.
Chavez walked into the house and sat on the couch with the girl and talked with her for about 15 minutes. During the conversation, the girl told Chavez her age and that she attended school, court records say.
Once he learned how old the girl was, she told police, Chavez stood up, walked toward the door, turned around and kissed her on the lips.
After Chavez kissed her, the girl once again told him that she did not want to have sex. However, Chavez pushed her on the couch, removed her clothing and started fondling her, she told police.
He eventually took off his clothes and started having sex with the girl, which lasted about 10 minutes, the complaint shows.
During that time the girl had repeatedly told Chavez "no," the complaint states.
At one point Chavez asked the girl if she wanted to "have his children," the complaint shows.
The girl, who is a ninth-grader, again said no.
After the alleged assault, Chavez then put his clothes on and left in a hurry, according to complaint.
The teenager then called police and reported the alleged assault.
The girl told police that during the alleged incident, which occurred between 2 and 4 p.m., she kept her eyes closed the entire time and did not know his name or who he was, court records say.
DNA was taken from the girl and police started an investigation. All the girl could tell them was that he was Hispanic, was in his late 30s, had short hair, was five 5-feet-6, and drove a maroon vehicle.
"Our detectives were actively working the investigation and it came to fruition immediately as she saw him," APD spokesman John Walsh Tuesday.
On Thursday, while waiting in line at Furrs Cafeteria, the girl spotted Chavez in line ahead of her.
She was at the restaurant with her friend and her therapist, who called police, the complaint shows.
Officers passed Chavez while walking into the restaurant. As the officers were talking to the alleged victim, Chavez had left the restaurant in a maroon vehicle.
Eventually, they stopped Chavez in an unmarked police vehicle at the intersection of Montgomery and Monroe NE, the complaint shows.
Investigators were then able to get search warrants for his home, his car and his DNA.
Police arrested Chavez Tuesday after DNA taken from the victim matched his, the complaint shows. Police were also able to obtain records from the dating service that confirmed Chavez had made a call at the time the girl said she connected with him. According to court records, Chavez has had an account with the dating service since May 2000.
Police said they do not know if Chavez was on duty at the time the alleged assault occurred. He has been placed on "administrative leave" pending an internal investigation.
An undercover Albuquerque police vice detective faces charges on suspicion of raping a 14-year-old girl he met through a dating service, police said.
Late Tuesday, 13-year APD veteran Timothy J. Chavez, 33, was in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center on charges of kidnapping and criminal sexual penetration, jail records show. His bail has been set at $75,000.
Chavez, who is expected to be arraigned today in Metropolitan Court, was identified by the alleged victim in a restaurant last week.
Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz announced the "sad news" during a Tuesday news conference.
"We feel it is very important to get the news out to the community," Schultz said.
According to a Metropolitan Court criminal complaint, the girl, who lives in Northwest Albuquerque, called police on April 22 and reported that a man she met through a dating service had raped her.
She said she called the service that day and connected with a man over a chat line for about 10 minutes.
Eventually, the man asked if he could come over to the girl's home. The girl agreed, gave him directions and waited in her front yard for him to arrive, court records say.
When the man, who police said was Chavez, arrived, the girl "immediately" told him that she did not want to have sex, according to arrest records.
Chavez walked into the house and sat on the couch with the girl and talked with her for about 15 minutes. During the conversation, the girl told Chavez her age and that she attended school, court records say.
Once he learned how old the girl was, she told police, Chavez stood up, walked toward the door, turned around and kissed her on the lips.
After Chavez kissed her, the girl once again told him that she did not want to have sex. However, Chavez pushed her on the couch, removed her clothing and started fondling her, she told police.
He eventually took off his clothes and started having sex with the girl, which lasted about 10 minutes, the complaint shows.
During that time the girl had repeatedly told Chavez "no," the complaint states.
At one point Chavez asked the girl if she wanted to "have his children," the complaint shows.
The girl, who is a ninth-grader, again said no.
After the alleged assault, Chavez then put his clothes on and left in a hurry, according to complaint.
The teenager then called police and reported the alleged assault.
The girl told police that during the alleged incident, which occurred between 2 and 4 p.m., she kept her eyes closed the entire time and did not know his name or who he was, court records say.
DNA was taken from the girl and police started an investigation. All the girl could tell them was that he was Hispanic, was in his late 30s, had short hair, was five 5-feet-6, and drove a maroon vehicle.
"Our detectives were actively working the investigation and it came to fruition immediately as she saw him," APD spokesman John Walsh Tuesday.
On Thursday, while waiting in line at Furrs Cafeteria, the girl spotted Chavez in line ahead of her.
She was at the restaurant with her friend and her therapist, who called police, the complaint shows.
Officers passed Chavez while walking into the restaurant. As the officers were talking to the alleged victim, Chavez had left the restaurant in a maroon vehicle.
Eventually, they stopped Chavez in an unmarked police vehicle at the intersection of Montgomery and Monroe NE, the complaint shows.
Investigators were then able to get search warrants for his home, his car and his DNA.
Police arrested Chavez Tuesday after DNA taken from the victim matched his, the complaint shows. Police were also able to obtain records from the dating service that confirmed Chavez had made a call at the time the girl said she connected with him. According to court records, Chavez has had an account with the dating service since May 2000.
Police said they do not know if Chavez was on duty at the time the alleged assault occurred. He has been placed on "administrative leave" pending an internal investigation.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
State Police Officer Charged With Battery
By Rene Romo, Journal Southern Bureau
LAS CRUCES— City police filed a criminal complaint Monday charging an off-duty State Police officer with aggravated battery for his alleged part in a fight last week.
Nicholas Zepeda, 23, was charged with two felony counts— aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated battery with intent to commit great bodily harm.
State Police spokesman Lt. Rick Anglada said Zepeda will be placed on administrative duties, pending the outcome of an internal investigation and the criminal case.
Zepeda, stationed in Española, was attending a training class in Las Cruces at the time of the incident, Anglada said.
According to a statement of facts filed in Magistrate Court, a dispute that began at a bar carried over to an apartment complex shortly after 2 a.m. Wednesday. Three men, including Zepeda, were involved in an altercation with Daniel Reyes, 23, of Las Cruces.
Amy Orlando, chief deputy district attorney, said prosecutors are considering filing charges against the two men who were with Zepeda. She said she did not expect charges would be filed against Reyes.
Reyes told an investigator that, as he was leaving the bar, he punched Zepeda because Zepeda allegedly insulted him.
Zepeda and two friends then drove to Reyes' apartment. Zepeda told police that as he approached Reyes, Reyes reached into the bed of his truck, grabbed a beer bottle and smashed it against Zepeda's head. A fight ensued.
Reyes told police he struck Zepeda with a bottle in self-defense after Zepeda and two other men arrived at his apartment complex and rushed him.
A witness told police a man matching Zepeda's description made "two quick stabbing movements" to Reyes' back with what appeared to be a piece of glass. Reyes suffered two puncture wounds to his back.
LAS CRUCES— City police filed a criminal complaint Monday charging an off-duty State Police officer with aggravated battery for his alleged part in a fight last week.
Nicholas Zepeda, 23, was charged with two felony counts— aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated battery with intent to commit great bodily harm.
State Police spokesman Lt. Rick Anglada said Zepeda will be placed on administrative duties, pending the outcome of an internal investigation and the criminal case.
Zepeda, stationed in Española, was attending a training class in Las Cruces at the time of the incident, Anglada said.
According to a statement of facts filed in Magistrate Court, a dispute that began at a bar carried over to an apartment complex shortly after 2 a.m. Wednesday. Three men, including Zepeda, were involved in an altercation with Daniel Reyes, 23, of Las Cruces.
Amy Orlando, chief deputy district attorney, said prosecutors are considering filing charges against the two men who were with Zepeda. She said she did not expect charges would be filed against Reyes.
Reyes told an investigator that, as he was leaving the bar, he punched Zepeda because Zepeda allegedly insulted him.
Zepeda and two friends then drove to Reyes' apartment. Zepeda told police that as he approached Reyes, Reyes reached into the bed of his truck, grabbed a beer bottle and smashed it against Zepeda's head. A fight ensued.
Reyes told police he struck Zepeda with a bottle in self-defense after Zepeda and two other men arrived at his apartment complex and rushed him.
A witness told police a man matching Zepeda's description made "two quick stabbing movements" to Reyes' back with what appeared to be a piece of glass. Reyes suffered two puncture wounds to his back.
Thursday, November 3, 2005
Ex-APD Detective Indicted on Rape Charges
By Scott Sandlin, Journal Staff Writer
Former Albuquerque Police Department vice squad detective Timothy J. Chavez was indicted Wednesday on felony rape charges, five months after his initial arrest.
The New Mexico Attorney General's Office released copies of the indictment against Chavez, 34, stemming from the alleged criminal sexual penetration and kidnapping in April of a 14-year-old girl he met through a telephone dating service.
Chavez, an undercover officer at the time of the alleged incident, is charged with nine counts, including criminal sexual penetration, attempted sexual penetration, sexual contact of a minor and kidnapping. All but one count are felonies.
The Attorney General's Office took over the case because of conflicts in the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office.
Chavez, a 13-year veteran of APD, was released on $75,000 bond after his arrest May 24. Chavez was placed on administrative leave but was fired about six weeks later.
A criminal complaint in the case said Chavez and the girl made contact on Live Links on April 22, and the girl, a ninth-grader, invited him over. Although she told him she did not want to have sex, the man allegedly ignored her and had sex with her, according to arrest records. She called police after the incident, and they took DNA.
A month later, the alleged victim saw Chavez at a restaurant and police were called, court records state. Police executed search warrants for Chavez's home and vehicle and obtained a DNA sample, according to earlier reports.
Former Albuquerque Police Department vice squad detective Timothy J. Chavez was indicted Wednesday on felony rape charges, five months after his initial arrest.
The New Mexico Attorney General's Office released copies of the indictment against Chavez, 34, stemming from the alleged criminal sexual penetration and kidnapping in April of a 14-year-old girl he met through a telephone dating service.
Chavez, an undercover officer at the time of the alleged incident, is charged with nine counts, including criminal sexual penetration, attempted sexual penetration, sexual contact of a minor and kidnapping. All but one count are felonies.
The Attorney General's Office took over the case because of conflicts in the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office.
Chavez, a 13-year veteran of APD, was released on $75,000 bond after his arrest May 24. Chavez was placed on administrative leave but was fired about six weeks later.
A criminal complaint in the case said Chavez and the girl made contact on Live Links on April 22, and the girl, a ninth-grader, invited him over. Although she told him she did not want to have sex, the man allegedly ignored her and had sex with her, according to arrest records. She called police after the incident, and they took DNA.
A month later, the alleged victim saw Chavez at a restaurant and police were called, court records state. Police executed search warrants for Chavez's home and vehicle and obtained a DNA sample, according to earlier reports.
Friday, July 22, 2005
City Moves to Fire Vice Cop
By Jeff Proctor, Journal Staff Writer
Albuquerque officials will not wait for an indictment to begin the process of firing police officer Timothy Chavez, who is accused of raping a 14-year-old girl.
"He received termination papers today, and that's the first step of the process," Mayor Martin Chávez told the Journal editorial board Thursday. "We knew the day we got the DNA back that he wasn't going to be with the police department anymore."
A personnel hearing is scheduled for the middle of next week, where an up or down decision will be rendered on Officer Chavez's job, said John Walsh, an APD spokesman.
Officer Chavez, 33, was arrested May 24 on charges of kidnapping and criminal sexual penetration. He was placed on leave with pay.
At the time, Police Chief Ray Schultz said he would fire Chavez once the officer was indicted by a grand jury. Schultz said he expected an indictment within 10 days.
Chances for a speedy indictment ground to a halt, in part, because Officer Chavez is related to or has worked with several people on staff at the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office.
To avoid an obvious conflict of interest, District Attorney Kari Brandenburg asked Attorney General Patricia Madrid to take over the case.
The AG's Office is still considering whether to take the case, spokeswoman Sam Thompson said Thursday.
Rather than wait for a decision from Madrid's office in Santa Fe, Albuquerque officials are using the results of an APD internal affairs investigation to start the process to fire Chavez.
"As of (Thursday) the chief had received and reviewed the results of the internal affairs investigation and recommended termination," Walsh said.
According to the City Attorney's Office, an indictment or the results of an internal investigation does meet the due process
requirement for termination of a police officer.
Chavez, an undercover vice officer, is accused of meeting the girl over the telephone dating service Live Links, according to court records. He allegedly asked if he could come to her house, then came over and raped her there.
DNA taken from the girl's body matched the officer's, court records show.
Albuquerque officials will not wait for an indictment to begin the process of firing police officer Timothy Chavez, who is accused of raping a 14-year-old girl.
"He received termination papers today, and that's the first step of the process," Mayor Martin Chávez told the Journal editorial board Thursday. "We knew the day we got the DNA back that he wasn't going to be with the police department anymore."
A personnel hearing is scheduled for the middle of next week, where an up or down decision will be rendered on Officer Chavez's job, said John Walsh, an APD spokesman.
Officer Chavez, 33, was arrested May 24 on charges of kidnapping and criminal sexual penetration. He was placed on leave with pay.
At the time, Police Chief Ray Schultz said he would fire Chavez once the officer was indicted by a grand jury. Schultz said he expected an indictment within 10 days.
Chances for a speedy indictment ground to a halt, in part, because Officer Chavez is related to or has worked with several people on staff at the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office.
To avoid an obvious conflict of interest, District Attorney Kari Brandenburg asked Attorney General Patricia Madrid to take over the case.
The AG's Office is still considering whether to take the case, spokeswoman Sam Thompson said Thursday.
Rather than wait for a decision from Madrid's office in Santa Fe, Albuquerque officials are using the results of an APD internal affairs investigation to start the process to fire Chavez.
"As of (Thursday) the chief had received and reviewed the results of the internal affairs investigation and recommended termination," Walsh said.
According to the City Attorney's Office, an indictment or the results of an internal investigation does meet the due process
requirement for termination of a police officer.
Chavez, an undercover vice officer, is accused of meeting the girl over the telephone dating service Live Links, according to court records. He allegedly asked if he could come to her house, then came over and raped her there.
DNA taken from the girl's body matched the officer's, court records show.
Friday, May 27, 2005
Police Chief Plans to Fire Accused Cop
By T.J. Wilham, Journal Staff Writer
Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz said Thursday that he plans to fire an officer accused of raping a 14-year-old girl once the undercover cop is indicted.
That could be done within the next 10 days, Schultz said.
In the meantime, officer Timothy J. Chavez, 33, is on paid administrative leave.
"It is worth the expense to pay him for the time being and have him at home," Schultz said. "We don't want him on any kind of an assignment."
On Thursday, Chavez made his first court appearance and pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnaping and criminal sexual penetration. A July court date was set.
Chavez was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly met a 14-year-old girl a month earlier on a telephone dating service, according to a Metropolitan Court criminal complaint. Chavez allegedly arranged a meeting at the girl's home and raped her on a couch.
Last week, the girl spotted Chavez at a restaurant and identified him as her attacker, and DNA taken from the girl's body matched the officer's, court records show.
Schultz could have placed the 13-year veteran on administrative duty, which would have allowed Chavez to work without being able to exercise police powers.
In the past, when officers have faced criminal charges, the administration has waited for an internal affairs report or for the criminal case to be adjudicated before taking disciplinary action.
Because of the "seriousness" of the allegations against Chavez, Schultz said action should be taken against Chavez once he is indicted. APD officials said it's common to take such action when an officer is accused of a felony.
Schultz also said investigators are trying to determine if Chavez was on duty when the alleged incident occurred.
According to department records, Chavez had taken half the day off. Schultz said he did not know the exact time the alleged rape occurred or when Chavez was off duty.
"This is already bad, but this (if Chavez were on duty) would make it extremely worse," Schultz said. "This is such an egregious violation of trust and of the law."
Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz said Thursday that he plans to fire an officer accused of raping a 14-year-old girl once the undercover cop is indicted.
That could be done within the next 10 days, Schultz said.
In the meantime, officer Timothy J. Chavez, 33, is on paid administrative leave.
"It is worth the expense to pay him for the time being and have him at home," Schultz said. "We don't want him on any kind of an assignment."
On Thursday, Chavez made his first court appearance and pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnaping and criminal sexual penetration. A July court date was set.
Chavez was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly met a 14-year-old girl a month earlier on a telephone dating service, according to a Metropolitan Court criminal complaint. Chavez allegedly arranged a meeting at the girl's home and raped her on a couch.
Last week, the girl spotted Chavez at a restaurant and identified him as her attacker, and DNA taken from the girl's body matched the officer's, court records show.
Schultz could have placed the 13-year veteran on administrative duty, which would have allowed Chavez to work without being able to exercise police powers.
In the past, when officers have faced criminal charges, the administration has waited for an internal affairs report or for the criminal case to be adjudicated before taking disciplinary action.
Because of the "seriousness" of the allegations against Chavez, Schultz said action should be taken against Chavez once he is indicted. APD officials said it's common to take such action when an officer is accused of a felony.
Schultz also said investigators are trying to determine if Chavez was on duty when the alleged incident occurred.
According to department records, Chavez had taken half the day off. Schultz said he did not know the exact time the alleged rape occurred or when Chavez was off duty.
"This is already bad, but this (if Chavez were on duty) would make it extremely worse," Schultz said. "This is such an egregious violation of trust and of the law."
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Access to Dating Service Easy; Company Officer Used Doesn't Verify Ages
By T.J. Wilham, Journal Staff Writer
The telephone dating service that was used by a decorated Albuquerque police officer to meet a 14-year-old girl he allegedly raped is easy to get on to.
All you need is a phone.
Live Links has a promotion that allows callers to sign up on a trial basis without paying any money. To sign up, callers do not have to give a credit card number, name, age, or address to start talking to another caller.
Female callers do not have to pay at all, even after trying it out.
On Tuesday, Albuquerque police arrested undercover vice officer Timothy Chavez, 33, on charges of kidnapping and criminal sexual penetration. Chavez, who was released by posting a $75,000 bond Wednesday, could not be reached for comment.
He is accused of meeting the girl on Live Links on April 22, asking if he could come over to her house and then allegedly raping her, according to court records.
The girl did not know who Chavez was until a month later when she saw him at a northeast restaurant and called police.
Live Links officials said Wednesday they have procedures in place to screen juveniles from getting onto the service.
A recorded notice on the service tells anyone younger than 18 years old to hang up. The company also has monitors who listen to recorded profiles and a hot line parents can call to have their phone numbers blocked from using the service.
"We are looking for people to meet people. We are not looking for people who want to meet little kids," said Sid Methner, business development manager for the Vancouver-based company. "We have a popular service, and kids like to spread it around school like it is a fad. ... Our question is where were her parents? That is the issue. That is the first line of defense against this."
Methner said the company is conducting an investigation into how the girl was able to get onto the service.
"Nobody wants to see this happen," he said. "This is not a service we want."
Albuquerque police officials said Wednesday that throughout his 13-year career Chavez received numerous awards and accommodations.
"It is saddening for any officer that has served with distinction and now faces grievous charges," said John Walsh, an APD spokesman. "But it is deeply saddening that there is a young person who has fallen victim to this type of crime."
In 1997, Chavez received a Medal of Meritorious Service from APD, according to Albuquerque police. In 1998, Chavez was presented with the Law Enforcement Officer/Hero of the Year Award by then-Mayor Jim Baca, according to Journal news reports. Police officials said Wednesday they do not have any record of that award, and it is not the department's official "Officer of the Year" award. But APD said there was only one Timothy Chavez on its roster at that time.
Chavez received the 1998 award for his involvement in thwarting a bank robbery while moonlighting at the bank. According to news reports, Chavez shot the would-be robber, who was holding a hostage at gunpoint.
Preventing teenagers from using a dating service such as Live Links is not easy, law enforcement officials said.
And Live Links legally did nothing wrong because it has the disclaimer, said Michael Cox, director of special prosecutions for the New Mexico Attorney General's Office.
"You can't shut them down because they do not have an affirmative way to screen minors," Cox said. "Is it a problem, I would say yes, but there is no factual way to check someone's identification over the telephone or a computer."
To get onto the service, the automated system asks for the person's gender and a promotional code, which is available to anyone who goes to the Live Links online site.
The caller is asked to record a profile and then listens to profiles of potential dates.
The company has local numbers in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces.
City police detectives said that within the past nine years they have received only one complaint about a dating service. That came from a parent who was upset that their son had met an adult man over a telephone dating service in 1996.
"Parents need to be involved with their kids' lives as much as possible," said Don Roberts, a detective with the APD child exploitation unit. "Kids are smart. They are going to figure out how to get in. Not every 15- or 16-year-old kid is going to go, 'oh my gosh' and hang up (when they hear the disclaimer)."
Bob Hoever, deputy director for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said dating services such as Live Links need to have some sort of a "safeguard" in place to screen children.
He recommended that the company require the use of credit cards.
"You really don't know who is on the other end, and sometimes the phone gives you a false sense of security," Hoever said.
Live Links, which has been in business since 1990, advertises on television, the Internet and in newspapers.
Methner said requiring callers to submit a credit card is not going to keep kids away. He said children will still find a way.
Methner said parents can call 1 (800) 984-6889 to have their home phone number blocked from using Live Links.
The telephone dating service that was used by a decorated Albuquerque police officer to meet a 14-year-old girl he allegedly raped is easy to get on to.
All you need is a phone.
Live Links has a promotion that allows callers to sign up on a trial basis without paying any money. To sign up, callers do not have to give a credit card number, name, age, or address to start talking to another caller.
Female callers do not have to pay at all, even after trying it out.
On Tuesday, Albuquerque police arrested undercover vice officer Timothy Chavez, 33, on charges of kidnapping and criminal sexual penetration. Chavez, who was released by posting a $75,000 bond Wednesday, could not be reached for comment.
He is accused of meeting the girl on Live Links on April 22, asking if he could come over to her house and then allegedly raping her, according to court records.
The girl did not know who Chavez was until a month later when she saw him at a northeast restaurant and called police.
Live Links officials said Wednesday they have procedures in place to screen juveniles from getting onto the service.
A recorded notice on the service tells anyone younger than 18 years old to hang up. The company also has monitors who listen to recorded profiles and a hot line parents can call to have their phone numbers blocked from using the service.
"We are looking for people to meet people. We are not looking for people who want to meet little kids," said Sid Methner, business development manager for the Vancouver-based company. "We have a popular service, and kids like to spread it around school like it is a fad. ... Our question is where were her parents? That is the issue. That is the first line of defense against this."
Methner said the company is conducting an investigation into how the girl was able to get onto the service.
"Nobody wants to see this happen," he said. "This is not a service we want."
Albuquerque police officials said Wednesday that throughout his 13-year career Chavez received numerous awards and accommodations.
"It is saddening for any officer that has served with distinction and now faces grievous charges," said John Walsh, an APD spokesman. "But it is deeply saddening that there is a young person who has fallen victim to this type of crime."
In 1997, Chavez received a Medal of Meritorious Service from APD, according to Albuquerque police. In 1998, Chavez was presented with the Law Enforcement Officer/Hero of the Year Award by then-Mayor Jim Baca, according to Journal news reports. Police officials said Wednesday they do not have any record of that award, and it is not the department's official "Officer of the Year" award. But APD said there was only one Timothy Chavez on its roster at that time.
Chavez received the 1998 award for his involvement in thwarting a bank robbery while moonlighting at the bank. According to news reports, Chavez shot the would-be robber, who was holding a hostage at gunpoint.
Preventing teenagers from using a dating service such as Live Links is not easy, law enforcement officials said.
And Live Links legally did nothing wrong because it has the disclaimer, said Michael Cox, director of special prosecutions for the New Mexico Attorney General's Office.
"You can't shut them down because they do not have an affirmative way to screen minors," Cox said. "Is it a problem, I would say yes, but there is no factual way to check someone's identification over the telephone or a computer."
To get onto the service, the automated system asks for the person's gender and a promotional code, which is available to anyone who goes to the Live Links online site.
The caller is asked to record a profile and then listens to profiles of potential dates.
The company has local numbers in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces.
City police detectives said that within the past nine years they have received only one complaint about a dating service. That came from a parent who was upset that their son had met an adult man over a telephone dating service in 1996.
"Parents need to be involved with their kids' lives as much as possible," said Don Roberts, a detective with the APD child exploitation unit. "Kids are smart. They are going to figure out how to get in. Not every 15- or 16-year-old kid is going to go, 'oh my gosh' and hang up (when they hear the disclaimer)."
Bob Hoever, deputy director for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said dating services such as Live Links need to have some sort of a "safeguard" in place to screen children.
He recommended that the company require the use of credit cards.
"You really don't know who is on the other end, and sometimes the phone gives you a false sense of security," Hoever said.
Live Links, which has been in business since 1990, advertises on television, the Internet and in newspapers.
Methner said requiring callers to submit a credit card is not going to keep kids away. He said children will still find a way.
Methner said parents can call 1 (800) 984-6889 to have their home phone number blocked from using Live Links.
Thursday, December 16, 2004
City: Former APD Officer Stole $700 From Man He Arrested
By Jeff Proctor, Journal Staff Writer
A former Albuquerque police officer stole $700 from a man he arrested for drunken driving, according to an investigation conducted by the city's Independent Review Office.
The officer, who has not been named, initially agreed to cooperate with the office's investigation. But on the day he was to take a polygraph, the officer resigned.
"It is my finding that this officer stole the money, then lied about it in a statement," Independent Review Officer Jay Rowland told the Police Oversight Commission last week.
The commission voted unanimously Dec. 9 to uphold Rowland's findings and sustain the complaint filed against the former officer.
But APD Chief Gilbert Gallegos disagrees, saying there wasn't enough evidence to say the former officer was guilty.
APD Deputy Chief Paul Chavez could not be reached for comment on the case.
The allegation stems from a Feb. 28 traffic stop, according to the investigation. During the stop, the officer took $700 from the driver's pocket and threw it in his squad car, the investigation found.
"There was another officer present, and that officer did see some money," Rowland said.
The former officer arrested the man and took him to the now-closed Prisoner Transfer Station— a building Downtown where police took offenders to be processed before taking them to the Metropolitan Detention Center on the West Side.
When he was released from the West Side jail, the man refused to sign a property list because it did not contain his $700, the investigation shows.
The man filed a complaint with the POC in April, and investigators found he had cashed a check on the day he was arrested for about $3,000.
He spent money on attorney's fees, a paint job for his car and liquor at an Albuquerque bar, the investigation shows. The leftover $700 was money he owed his mother.
The man passed a polygraph test that asked whether he had money on him when he was stopped, the investigation shows.
In an interview, the officer denied stealing any money and agreed to take a polygraph. Shortly after the interview— sometime in May— the officer resigned.
A former Albuquerque police officer stole $700 from a man he arrested for drunken driving, according to an investigation conducted by the city's Independent Review Office.
The officer, who has not been named, initially agreed to cooperate with the office's investigation. But on the day he was to take a polygraph, the officer resigned.
"It is my finding that this officer stole the money, then lied about it in a statement," Independent Review Officer Jay Rowland told the Police Oversight Commission last week.
The commission voted unanimously Dec. 9 to uphold Rowland's findings and sustain the complaint filed against the former officer.
But APD Chief Gilbert Gallegos disagrees, saying there wasn't enough evidence to say the former officer was guilty.
APD Deputy Chief Paul Chavez could not be reached for comment on the case.
The allegation stems from a Feb. 28 traffic stop, according to the investigation. During the stop, the officer took $700 from the driver's pocket and threw it in his squad car, the investigation found.
"There was another officer present, and that officer did see some money," Rowland said.
The former officer arrested the man and took him to the now-closed Prisoner Transfer Station— a building Downtown where police took offenders to be processed before taking them to the Metropolitan Detention Center on the West Side.
When he was released from the West Side jail, the man refused to sign a property list because it did not contain his $700, the investigation shows.
The man filed a complaint with the POC in April, and investigators found he had cashed a check on the day he was arrested for about $3,000.
He spent money on attorney's fees, a paint job for his car and liquor at an Albuquerque bar, the investigation shows. The leftover $700 was money he owed his mother.
The man passed a polygraph test that asked whether he had money on him when he was stopped, the investigation shows.
In an interview, the officer denied stealing any money and agreed to take a polygraph. Shortly after the interview— sometime in May— the officer resigned.
Friday, December 19, 2003
Former Deputy Back in Prison
By Scott Sandlin, Journal Staff Writer
Darryl Burt appeared again in court this week on new drug charges. It was the third time the former Bernalillo County sheriff's deputy has faced criminal prosecution.
Burt's fall from grace began in April 1995 with his indictment on 34 counts related to alleged sexual abuse of a 16-year-old boy.
He eventually pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts, attempting to contribute to the delinquency of a minor and attempted sexual contact with a minor, but prosecutors said at the time that he had abused his position as an officer to prey on young Mexican nationals.
The next year he was back in court facing federal cocaine distribution charges. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and was sentenced to two years and nine months in the drug case.
Burt completed his prison time and supervised release and was working when he was indicted in August on a charge of conspiracy to distribute heroin. He pleaded guilty to all three counts Tuesday.
Terms of the plea agreement call for Burt, 40, to spend eight years in federal prison.
The indictment alleged Burt conspired with Martin Rivas Munguia to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin in Bernalillo and Santa Fe counties from Sept. 29 to Dec. 6, 2002.
Munguia, who also has entered a guilty plea, is set for sentencing in February, but he will be subject to deportation because he was not legally in the United States, according to the prosecution.
The case was the result of an undercover operation by the FBI and New Mexico State Police that included a wiretap and surveillance, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Darryl Burt appeared again in court this week on new drug charges. It was the third time the former Bernalillo County sheriff's deputy has faced criminal prosecution.
Burt's fall from grace began in April 1995 with his indictment on 34 counts related to alleged sexual abuse of a 16-year-old boy.
He eventually pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts, attempting to contribute to the delinquency of a minor and attempted sexual contact with a minor, but prosecutors said at the time that he had abused his position as an officer to prey on young Mexican nationals.
The next year he was back in court facing federal cocaine distribution charges. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and was sentenced to two years and nine months in the drug case.
Burt completed his prison time and supervised release and was working when he was indicted in August on a charge of conspiracy to distribute heroin. He pleaded guilty to all three counts Tuesday.
Terms of the plea agreement call for Burt, 40, to spend eight years in federal prison.
The indictment alleged Burt conspired with Martin Rivas Munguia to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin in Bernalillo and Santa Fe counties from Sept. 29 to Dec. 6, 2002.
Munguia, who also has entered a guilty plea, is set for sentencing in February, but he will be subject to deportation because he was not legally in the United States, according to the prosecution.
The case was the result of an undercover operation by the FBI and New Mexico State Police that included a wiretap and surveillance, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
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