Woman Arrested for Alleged Threats Against Governor, Mexicans
The Associated Press
SANTA FE — State police arrested a 49-year-old woman Saturday on charges accusing her of making threats against Gov. Bill Richardson, other politicians and Mexicans.
Debra Jayne Shepp voluntarily went to the state police office in Albuquerque late Friday where she was questioned and later arrested, Department of Public Safety spokesman Peter Olson said.
"Apparently she saw the story on the news and started to call state police to try to correct what she had intended to say, and then, later in the interview, she did confess to saying the things that were reported."
Shepp was being held at the Santa Fe County jail on two counts of using a telephone to harass, threaten or intimate, Olson said.
Authorities had said a woman had walked into the state Transportation Department's main office Thursday afternoon and asked to use the phone. Authorities said she called the state Office of Homeland Security, saying she planned to line up politicians, "Bill first, and get rid of them one by one."
State police had a videotape of the woman, Olson said.
She had repeatedly said she would "get a gun to shoot Mexicans" and that the next time a Mexican violated her rights, she would "shoot them," authorities said.
She referred to immigration policies and used racial slurs against Mexicans throughout the call, they said.
DPS Secretary John Denko said the call "represents another example of the increasing number of threats made against Governor Richardson since he assumed office in January of 2003. All security precautions will be taken to ensure his safety."
A spokesman for the governor refused to comment.
Olson said there is no specific law against threatening the governor. Someone found guilty of threatening someone could face assault charges.
In January, state police had evacuated the Capitol to investigate a suspicious package in the building's parking garage. Richardson wasn't in the building, but the package was considered a threat directed at the governor, Denko said at the time.
Olson couldn't immediately say what the investigation turned up.
Employees of the Office of Homeland Security were sent home early Thursday afternoon because of the call. The office reopened Friday.
Olson said Homeland Security knew the call came from a Transportation Department telephone because an internal system identifies state telephone numbers to other departments. However, he said the woman left before anyone could get there.
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