Former county official convicted of procurement violation

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A former Rio Arriba County commissioner faces up to 18 months in prison when he is sentenced on a conviction for violating the state’s procurement code. A state District Court judge ruled this week that ex-Commissioner Barney Trujillo of Chimayo violated the procurement code when he failed to disclose contributions he’d made to an Española school board member’s campaign. Trujillo, who had a $50,000 annual marketing services contract with the Espanola school district, was required to disclose any campaign contributions he’d made to public officials. Trujillo didn’t disclose that he made an in-kind contribution of signs to the campaign of Yolanda Salazar, a successful candidate for the Espanola Public Schools board.