Heath Haussamen / NMPolitics.net
Sunland Park City Hall (Photo by Heath Haussamen)
To date, 15 people have been charged with crimes ranging from extortion and fraud to voter fraud and bribery.
State police have filed charges alleging that a Texas couple used fake documents to obtain New Mexico driver’s licenses from the Motor Vehicle Division’s office in Sunland Park.
Hector and Marie Gonzales were charged Friday with felony counts of using fraudulent, counterfeit or forget documents to apply for and obtain licenses, according to a news release.
Charges were expected in that investigation. District Attorney Amy Orlando told NMPolitics.net in April that investigators were looking into fraud in the MVD office and said then that charges were likely.
The two are connected to the widespread public corruption case in Sunland Park: They’re the parents of Luis Rene Diaz, who was charged several weeks ago with billing the city for lobbying services he didn’t provide to obtain public money to pay the man who allegedly recorded the now-infamous extortion video of mayoral candidate Gerardo Hernandez getting a lap dance.
Others were also charged Friday. Here’s a recap from the Las Cruces Sun-News:
“Charges against (Silvia) Gomez, the town’s former senior center director, relate to her role in allegedly registering four Texas residents to vote in the March 6 Sunland Park Municipal Election. She had been charged previously for allegedly registering another Texas couple to vote.
“Former Sunland Park Public Works Director Jesus Dario Hernandez, who is still at large for his alleged role in the extortion of Gerardo Hernandez and fraud involving a trip to Mexico, was also charged with voter fraud.
“Sunland Park IT Manager Gilbert Velez was charged for allegedly tampering with evidence on Feb. 21, while members of New Mexico State Police were attempting to execute a search warrant at City Hall.”
To date, 15 people have been charged with crimes ranging from extortion and fraud to voter fraud and bribery.
The corruption scandal is getting national attention. Fox News interviewed Orlando this weekend and took a look at the voter fraud charges. You can watch its report here: