Bernalillo County sheriff says he 'cut the head off of the snake' in firing undersheriff tied to DWI scheme

Two black eyes. A gut punch. Betrayal.

Those are a few of the words Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen used to describe his feelings after realizing his “right-hand man” — former Undersheriff Johann Jareno — was tied to one of the largest public corruption cases to hit New Mexico.

In a lengthy speech Thursday that followed a briefing on a deputy shooting, Allen at times held back tears and slammed his fist on the podium, saying it was “an easy decision” to fire Jareno last weekend after his growing suspicions inched closer to reality.

“I have now cut the head off of the snake,” he said.

The comments were Allen’s most public since attorney Thomas Clear III, his paralegal Ricardo “Rick” Mendez, several officers and one Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office deputy took plea deals admitting they ran a scheme taking bribes to let DWI cases get dismissed. Jareno has not been charged in the case.

The sheriff’s statements came a day after the Journal published a story about a photo of Allen standing with Mendez, Jareno and his command staff after a lunch at Little Anita’s in 2023 — at a time when the corruption was still ongoing.

“If I ever knew that Mr. Jareno and that Mr. Mendez were doing what they were doing ... do you think in all hell I would ever have lunch with them? No, I would not,” Allen said. He added that anyone who thinks otherwise is “an idiot.”

Allen said “it’s OK for me to have lunch” and, as an elected official, he takes “hundreds of photos a week with people.” He said Jareno introduced him to Mendez in 2021 and the pair, at the lunch and in a few other meetings, only ever spoke of tackling crime, behavioral health and corruption.

“In hindsight, that’s very odd,” Allen said. He saw Mendez, who Allen said was a Republican, as a way to reach across the aisle for answers to some of his questions and collaboration.

At one point, the sheriff appeared to criticize the media’s portrayal of him.

“I know you have a job and a story to do, but we’re getting to the line in reference to this case where you’re starting to defame my character. I don’t appreciate it at all,” he said, also defending Maj. Hollie Anderson and Undersheriff Aaron Williamson, who were also in the photo. “... I don’t like the way the perception of my name and the two people standing beside me, how it is going in the media.”

Allen, who previously complained about federal authorities leaving him out of the loop, said he understands now why they didn’t trust him with information.

“Of course they’re going to suspect me. When you find me in a photo with this guy, what a piece of crap. And then he’s put me in a very bad position,” he said Thursday.

Allen said his relationship with the FBI changed when he went to Washington, D.C., and shrunk his circle to include only federal authorities and one person within BCSO. Around that time, deputy Jeff Hammerel, who has since pleaded guilty, was interviewed by FBI.

Afterward, he said, Hammerel came to him and said: “You’ve been left in the dark, sheriff; you’re a good person... This started before you got here, but it continued into your tenure.”

Allen said his reaction: throwing up in the garbage can next to his desk. His next step was using his skills as a longtime investigator to watch Jareno and how he acted.

What Allen saw, he said, “scared me.”

“I have trust in all the people that serve with me. I’ve never been betrayed like this in my life, and I’m pretty freaking pissed off right now,” Allen said, slamming his fist on the podium. “The parameters and obstacles that I put here verified information that I did not want to believe was true.”

He said Jareno called him on Saturday and, in a conversation Allen knew was coming, told the sheriff he was interviewed by FBI agents. Allen said, “That was the nail in the coffin for me.”

Less than 24 hours later, after verifying some things with the FBI, he said he fired the man who stood by his side for years. Allen said something that may have come as a surprise before was only “disappointing and disheartening” in the end.

Allen said anyone involved in the DWI scheme or who knew about it and didn’t do anything to stop it should “get the hell out of my agency.”

“The next question I have: was there anybody in this agency that I need to be worried about? I couldn’t answer that right now. I have to let the investigation continue,” he said. “Do I think that the scheme goes as deep as other people? I can’t answer that either. We’ve seen this thing blow up in the last 16, 17, 18 months. Nothing at this point really surprises me anymore.”