Sheriff: Embattled under-sheriff will continue to serve department

Enrique Vigil, the sheriff of Doña Ana County, said Thursday he has reviewed findings of an independent investigation into Undersheriff Ken Roberts and has decided he will not terminate Roberts.

ABC-7 recently uncovered court records stating several employees within the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department filed complaints against Roberts in recent years, alleging racial and sexual discrimination.

Vigil said Thursday Roberts has been removed from all supervisory duties until he completes additional training and has been issued a corrective action plan. Roberts had previously been on administrative leave.

“Mr. Roberts will continue to serve as the undersheriff and will assist me in non-supervisory administrative activities of the Sheriff’s Department,” Sheriff Vigil said, “I believe the action taken is in the best interest of the County and the taxpayers.”

The sheriff said the allegations against Roberts made him realize management and office staff in his department need to undergo sexual harassment and diversity sensitivity training. “The Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Department will not tolerate any type of misconduct by any employee, and regardless of rank, all are held accountable.”

A woman cited in a complaint obtained by ABC-7, claimed, “One day, when I wore a dress to work, the Undersheriff winked at me. It was offensive. He would not have winked at a man.”

The employee, who worked for the sheriff’s office for seven years, claimed in the complaint Roberts treated women differently than men in the office. “Undersheriff Ken Roberts (is) biased against females, treated females worse than males, and (doesn’t) like having females in positions of authority,” the employee complained.

The woman also complained administrators within the sheriff’s office did not follow standard protocol for discrimination claims and “engaged in discriminatory treatment favoring Hispanics.”

On November 22, 2017, ABC-7 first reported the undersheriff was on paid administrative leave, but no official within the sheriff’s department or the County could confirm why.

In December, ABC-7 also reported that Roberts was facing other sexual harassment allegations. An employee accused Roberts of going into her office and closing the door, he “locked it and sat on (her) lap, shook his butt a little while on her lap and got off.” He then allegedly said, “I just had to do that.”

Roberts, who has yet to respond to requests seeking comment, was sworn in as undersheriff in July 2016. He has more than 25 years experience in law enforcement.