NM sheriff accused in alleged eBay equipment sales

[harvey007]

Source: AP

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Former Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano, accused of selling sheriff's department equipment online, was arrested Wednesday on 251 counts of embezzlement and one count of fraud.

Read more: http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2011/jan/19/bc-nm-sheriff-resigns2nd-ld-writethru/?business&texas

[saras]

1. Sounds like a reasonable way to raise funds

They've probably got ridiculous amounts of high-tech hardware, arms, etc. they don't need.

They're desperately short of money.

He should have cut the rest of the department in and not tried to pocket it all.

[Tempest]

2. He was stealing the equipment and using the money for personal use

Wednesday's arrest warrant affidavit alleged Solano had been stealing and selling county government equipment, and using the profits for himself.

[UpInArms]

3. sounds like he would have rather died than forgo the money

The sales unraveled after a reserve deputy in Bowie County, Texas, contacted a bulletproof vest manufacturer about resizing a vest he had bought on eBay. The manufacturer, concerned over the sale, discovered the vest originally was sold to the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department and was purchased for Solano.

Solano faces 106 fourth-degree felony counts of embezzlement, 11 misdemeanor counts of embezzlement, 134 petty misdemeanor counts of embezzlement and one count of fraud over $20,000, a second-degree felony and the highest degree of fraud in the state, Chandler said.

[Monsoon]

4. I don't know if there is a party designation for election to the office of

of Sheriff in Albuquerque, but you can pretty much bet that SW US Sheriff is a repuke and probably a teabagger too.

So typical.

[rabs]

5. He's a Democrat.

Was elected sheriff under the Democratic Party ticket.

Btw, some of the vests sold on eBay were purchased by members of the U.S. military going off to the Afghan/Iraq wars. Who knows, maybe he saved a life or two by his criminal enterprise.

Welcome to DU.