ONLY ON ABC-7: Commissioner suggests ‘getting rid’ of Doa Ana County officials, document shows

A captain with the Doña Ana County Detention Center claims County Commissioner John Vasquez told him the county will be better when he gets rid of both County Manager Julia Brown and Jail Director Chris Barela.

Through a public records request, ABC-7’s New Mexico Mobile Newsroom obtained a two-page document filed within Doña Ana County by Capt. Justin Porter.

Porter said he was at a hotel March 7 in Santa Fe when Vasquez approached him, a municipal league employee, state police officer, Santa Fe detention center employee and a Roosevelt county employee.

He stated that Vasquez began asking who they were and from where. He said the first people said they were from Portales and Vasquez allegedly replied, “Nobody likes Portales.” He also allegedly said “no one likes northerners,” when one person told him they were from Grants.

When Porter told Vasquez he was a captain at the Doña Ana County Jail, he claimed Vasquez replied, “that place is horrible … we need to get rid of Chris (Barela).”

Porter said his group left the area and went back to their hotel room. He alleged that’s when Vasquez was seen looking through the windows of the rooms, and when he found their room, he knocked on the door and continued the conversation.

Porter claimed Vasquez told him “they are trying to get rid of Chris Barela.” Porter told Vasquez that Barela is not a problem. He alleged Vasquez asked him, “when we fire Chris, who will be in charge?”

In the document, Porter stated he defended the jail, but said he would never replace Barela because he believes the community doesn’t support the jail or its mission.

Porter stated, “I also told him that Kiki (Doña Ana County Sheriff Kiki Vigil) was a problem for the jail. I told Vasquez that if he wanted to help the community he needed to get rid of the sheriff. The sheriff was the one out of control.”

Porter also states that he told Vasquez that putting County Manager Julia Brown’s contract on a recent meeting agenda was “a gross misuse of authority.”

He alleged Vasquez stated, “You know why we did that, she doesn’t know what she is doing either.”

Porter alleged that Vasquez said the county will be better when he gets rid of both Brown and Barela.

“When we get rid of Chris, you should be in charge of the jail,” Porter alleged Vasquez told him.

Porter stated Vasquez asked him if he was willing to talk about his concerns to the commission. Porter declined.

On Tuesday, ABC-7 asked Vasquez about the alleged conversation that was documented through the county. Vasquez said he didn’t recall having that conversation or being at that hotel.

“I find these statements a little out of place here. I don’t recall having any conversation. This is very odd to me,” Vasquez told ABC-7, adding that he needed more time to look over the document before commenting further.

When asked if Vasquez believed Porter was lying about the conversation, Vasquez said, “Well I don’t know, I haven’t read the whole thing and would like to read it further. I can take the time to read it now but I need to go into a meeting. I’m not saying anyone’s lying but I definitely don’t remember having this conversation with anyone.”

On Wednesday, Barela declined to comment. Porter also declined to comment. ABC-7 was unable reach Vasquez again for further comment.