Sixth APD officer pleads guilty in DWI bribery scheme

A former Albuquerque police officer pleaded guilty Tuesday to his role in the DWI bribery scheme.

Under a plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court, Lucas Perez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right. Perez’s attorneys could not be immediately reached Tuesday.

Perez was among the officers who conspired with attorney Thomas Clear and his paralegal/investigator Ricardo Mendez, who orchestrated a massive scheme to pay officers to fail to appear in court to help Clear’s clients’ cases get dismissed, according to court documents.

In his plea agreement, Perez admits to having received cash. “I further admit that I was aware that other conspiring officers similarly coordinated with Clear and Mendez to intentionally fail to appear as required at DWI-related settings,” the court document reads. He said he “understood that Clear and Mendez also provided non-cash rewards to DWI officers, such as Christmas gifts and free legal services.”

In pleading guilty, Perez follows in the footsteps of the man who recruited him to the scheme, according to court documents. Nelson Ortiz pleaded guilty in March.

Perez joined the force in 2016 and served in the DWI Unit from 2018 until March 24, when he was placed on administrative leave, according to an Albuquerque Police Department news release. Perez was the sergeant of the division.

So far, a total of 13 officers have left the department amid the ongoing FBI investigation, including the six officers who have since pleaded guilty, according to the release. Two retired officers have also been implicated in the scheme.

Clear and Mendez pleaded guilty earlier this year to racketeering charges and other offenses.

It’s believed that the scheme lasted 30 years and involved much of the DWI Unit.

“I understand and admit that this generational participation, particularly within APD, allowed the conspiracy to take root among almost the entire APD DWI unit over a lengthy period of time,” Perez’s plea agreement reads.