Albuquerque –
Former Albuquerque Police Department (APD) officer Harvey Johnson plead guilty in federal court on Tuesday, April 29, admitting that he participated in a long-running conspiracy with a local attorney (Clear) and the attorney’s paralegal (Mendez) to dismiss DWI cases in exchange for cash and gifts.
In January 2024, APD placed Johnson on leave along with three other officers. He resigned from the department on March 13, 2024, as investigators tried to schedule an interview with him. Johnson joined APD in 2014 and worked in the DWI unit from 2021 until his resignation in 2024.
Federal court documents state that Johnson and several other officers admitted that they took part in the DWI Enterprise Scheme between February 18, 2023, and January 18, 2024.
Meanwhile, the FBI is leading a separate criminal investigation into possible illegal conduct, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will decide whether to file federal charges against any of those involved.
So far, 13 APD officers have left the department due to the investigation. Of those, five have plead guilty to federal charges related to the conspiracy. One retired APD officer (McCarson) has also been implicated by investigators and added to the Brady-Giglio disclosure list. Investigators have also implicated three Bernalillo County Sheriff’s deputies and one New Mexico State Police officer in the DWI Enterprise Scheme.
Ricardo (Rick) Mendez entered into a plea agreement on January 24, 2025. On February 12, 2025, Thomas Clear III took a plea deal for his role in this scheme.
Johnson is the sixth law enforcement officer to take a plea deal.
- Former APD Officer Honorio Alba accepted a plea deal on February 7, 2025.
- Former APD Officer Joshua Montaño entered into a plea agreement on February 7, 2025.
- Former APD Officer Neill Elsman reached a plea deal on February 12, 2025.
- Former Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeff Hammerel agreed to a plea deal on February 25, 2025.
- Former APD Officer Nelson Ortiz finalized a plea agreement on March 24, 2025.
You can read a number of the indictments and plea deals on our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/collection/1473529?view=expanded