Socorro Rep. Jesse Gandara calls criminal investigation into Socorro officials ‘petty’

Socorro city representatives Jesse Gandara Jr., Mary Garcia, Guillermo Madrid, and Sgt. Refugio Orta were named in El Paso County Sheriff’s search warrants for City Hall.

Gandara’s home also was included in the search warrants.

The affiant, City Rep. Maria Reyes, listed alleged financial discrepancies as probable cause, including; Gandara’s, Garcia’s, and Orta’s trip to Austin for a liability workshop and Madrid’s office supply expenditures

Gandara’s use of a laptop computer purchased by the city was also questioned.

The warrant called for bank details and a fuel card for the last seven years for all four of the council members, as well as a log book for a city car used to travel to conferences.

“This isn’t an investigation, for real, as it appeared (Monday),” said Gandara. “It will be proven that it’s chasing ghosts and very petty.”

An El Paso County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman confirmed the Monday searches on Socorro City Hall and Gandara’s home were both part of a criminal investigation.

Gandara claimed the investigation was orchestrated by an “old guard” of elected officials in an attempt to stifle the more progressive agenda of the “new guard” of representatives.

“This had become a fight amongst family, between one block of council that represents the future and one block that represents the past that continuously fights us,” said Gandara.

Gandara said that developments pushed by “new guard” councilors aimed at fostering community, like Bulldog Championship Park and the Apodaca Community Center have caused tension with the “old guard.”

“The old guard gets frustrated with that we don’t want to stop progress, the old guard gets frustrated, and what they do is, bring in police,” said Gandara.

Gandara claimed council members who are trying to improve the quality of life in Socorro are being intimidated by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office investigation.

“We’re making up a lot of time in the past 10 to 15 years and we still have old guard members like Mayor Trini Lopez who continue to have everybody, including the police, chase ghosts,” said Gandara.