In Albuquerque, New Mexico, a prominent attorney, Thomas Clear III, has admitted his involvement in a widespread corruption scandal that allowed individuals arrested for driving while intoxicated to avoid conviction. The plea agreement, filed on Wednesday, revealed that Clear operated what federal authorities have labeled a “DWI Enterprise,” wherein his law firm provided gifts and hefty bribes to law enforcement officers in exchange for the dismissal of DWI cases. Shortly after his guilty plea, Clear was suspended from practicing law by the New Mexico Supreme Court.
Another key figure in the scandal, former Albuquerque police officer Neill Elsman, also pleaded guilty on the same day. Elsman was among 12 officers put on leave following the exposure of the allegations last year. Clear admitted guilt to charges of racketeering, bribery, and two counts related to extortion, while Elsman pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe and two counts of attempted interference with commerce by extortion. Ricardo Mendez, Clear’s former paralegal, had previously pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges, including racketeering and bribery.
Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina emphasized the collaboration between his department, the FBI, and federal prosecutors to uncover the corrupt scheme. He stated that the police force had taken internal measures to hold accountable those involved. In addition to the three former officers who reached plea agreements, Medina mentioned that 10 officers had departed from the department as a result of the investigation.
Medina pledged ongoing thorough investigations, declaring, “We will leave no stone unturned, even if it means going back 30 years to scrutinize the actions of officers.” He added, “We are learning more details every day and we anticipate exposing more wrongdoing as our investigation continues.”
In his confession, Clear detailed his collaboration with numerous officers from the Albuquerque Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office in the illicit scheme. Officers were compensated with money or gifts to avoid appearing in court as necessary witnesses to the DWI incidents, resulting in case dismissals. Clear revealed that the enterprise expanded over time, with more Albuquerque officers referring cases to his law firm to secure higher payments for themselves. He noted that some officers assisted in recruiting and training the “next generation” within the APD’s DWI unit to perpetuate the scheme.
Clear also mentioned that Mendez was cautioned about certain officers to avoid, as there were individuals within the unit who would have reported the illegal activities if they had been aware of them. Nonetheless, generational participation in the scheme allowed it to become deeply ingrained within the majority of the APD’s DWI unit over an extended period.
