Two New Mexico Army National Guardsmen, one a State Police officer, accused of theft

Two New Mexico Army National Guard members, including one who is also a State Police officer, were arrested Tuesday after allegedly stealing night vision goggles from an armory in Las Cruces last month.

Santiago Pacheco, 22, a New Mexico State Police officer from Santa Fe, is charged with larceny, between $2,500 and $20,000, and conspiracy. Jesse Sprunk, 29, of Albuquerque, is charged with two counts of larceny, between $2,500 and $20,000, and conspiracy.

Both men were released on personal recognizance and have preliminary hearings scheduled for May 14, according to court records.

Pacheco was placed on administrative leave, State Police spokesperson Amanda Richards said in a news release.

Police were able to implicate both men through text messages, according to a statement of probable cause filed in Doña Ana County Magistrate Court.

“I am extremely upset by the arrest of one of our officers,” State Police Chief Troy Weisler said in a statement. “As members of the New Mexico State Police, we are held to the highest standards. Those who cannot meet those standards, do not belong in this agency. His actions are unacceptable and do not reflect the integrity, dedication, and honor exhibited every single day by the men and women of this agency.

“We remain committed to being a department that holds our officers to the highest accountability standards — even if it means arresting one of our own.”

On March 13, State Police responded to a call of a larceny in the 400 block of North Armory Road, near Interstate 10.

A guardsman told police two soldiers — later identified as Pacheco and Sprunk — took three sets of night vision goggles from a vault without signing them out, police said.

Sprunk told a guardsman he took two sets of the goggles during March’s drill weekend, according to the statement of probable cause. Sprunk said Pacheco pressured him into the theft of the goggles, worth $3,200 each.

Pacheco told State Police he took another pair of goggles in February after finding them in a military vehicle, the statement reads. Pacheco said he forgot about the goggles and “inadvertently” took them home to Santa Fe, police said.

Police said Pacheco told police he forgot to report the incident.

“It was later discovered that (Sgt.) Pacheco did not inform anyone in his chain of command about his actions until he was identified as possessing the sensitive item by (Sgt.) Sprunk in March,” the statement of probable cause reads.