3rd Las Cruces municipal employee arrested in probe
Las Cruces Police have arrested a third City of Las Cruces employee who allegedly falsified public documents.
Robert M. Guillen, 40, is charged with 10 counts of forgery and 10 counts of conspiracy. Guillen is the third city employee to be charged in the investigation that began from an anonymous tip in August 2013.
Robert “Bob” Medina Jr., 43, and Jesus “Chuy” Vasquez, 31, employees of the City’s Transportation Department, were both charged in February with two counts of forgery and two counts of conspiracy. Medina also faces two counts of embezzlement while Vasquez faces one such count.
Police say that Guillen allegedly filled out documentation that misrepresented the number of hours worked, and thus collecting overtime pay for work that was not done.
Police say the alleged falsified documents are believed to date back to July 2013.
Police also said that investigators have reason to believe that Guillen was kicking-back a portion of his overtime earnings to a supervisor who, at the time, was approving the falsified documents.
The investigation is continuing and additional charges are possible.
Medina and Vasquez were arrested in February after detectives determined that they, along with another city employee, built a concrete patio at Medina’s residence. The cement poured for the patio was billed to the City and the employees completed the project while on duty with the City.
Medina and Vasquez were both arrested on Feb. 20. Guillen was arrested Friday, March 21, and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center with bond set at $10,000.
