Dona Ana County Manager Disturbed By ‘Money for Sex’ Scandal Involving County Treasurer

The Dona Ana county manager spoke with ABC-7’s New Mexico Mobile Newsroom for the first time regarding embattled county treasurer, David Gutierrez.

A county employee said Gutierrez offered her $1,000 in exchange for sex, an allegation Gutierrez did not dispute. According to County Manager Julia Brown, Gutierrez “breached a promise to the voters.”

The county reprimanded Gutierrez, but it cannot remove him from office because he is an elected official. Voters would have to gather enough signatures to recall Gutierrez.

“The treasurer is operating under some self-imposed delusion that he didn’t do anything wrong,” Brown said. “It is astonishing to me because these charges were not made up and I’m not even saying allegations because he confessed.”

Earlier this year, Gutierrez published a letter in which he outlined his reasons for not stepping down.

“I will not resign. I have 38,867 reasons why I won’t resign. That is the number of people who voted to re-elect me in 2012,” the treasurer stated. “The citizens of Dona Ana County trust me and approve of my job performance. I have done nothing over my 14 years in office to violate their trust.”

Brown disagrees with Gutierrez. “He’s taking the position he’s the victim and he doesn’t understand why people are asking him to resign,” Brown said. “Had he done what he did before the election, those people would not have voted for him. I don’t believe they would support someone who would do that sort of despicable act.”

According to a report from Universal Investigation Services, Gutierrez admitted the allegations are true. “I know I screwed up. I thought it was a compliment to her because she is an attractive girl,” Gutierrez told an Investigator.

In an interview with ABC-7, the victim explained she was usually sent on errands and Gutierrez liked to tag along. It was during one of those days when he allegedly made the offer. “I didn’t know what to do. I was ready to jump out of the truck,” the victim said. “I was really afraid to lose my job. It is his word against mine. He is my boss.”

According to Brown, the district attorney’s office handed over the case to New Mexico State Police investigators. Brown said investigators told her, based on the evidence they received, they cannot come to the conclusion Gutierrez committed a crime.

Female county employees are concerned about the allegations, according to Brown. “What I want employees and the public to know is this type of behavior is not condoned by the county,” she said.

Commissioners are still urging Gutierrez to resign, according to Brown. “He has indicated he does not intend to do so and I think that speaks to his character.”