BCSD Tellez investigation enters fifth month

Bernalillo County Sheriff Dan Houston has been hard at work for four months trying to put together a case involving former APS Police Chief Steve Tellez.

I write "Dan Houston" because the while the investigation itself surely has been delegated, the responsibility for seeing that it gets done is still his.

Houston's line, by and through his PIO Sgt Aaron Williamson is;

• the investigation is being stalled by a third party who cannot be named and, who is holding information which cannot be described with any specificity, without which the case cannot be closed, and,

• at some point, the Sheriff intends to hold the third party legally accountable for withholding information, though he will not explain how, where, or when he will do that.

PIO Williamson BCSD website

In an email on 7/1/2014, I asked the Sheriff, by and through his PIO, to tell me when, where, and how he intended to hold the mysterious third party accountable for withholding information indefinitely.

Williamson responded

This is an ongoing investigation. I have provided to you the information that I can at this time. As I have told you numerous times, once the investigation is COMPLETE, I will forward you the findings.

This morning, I gave Sheriff Dan Houston another opportunity to come clean; to respond candidly, forthrightly and honestly to interest holders, to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the ethically redacted truth about his investigation into allegations of a felony betrayal of the public trust by a senior APS administrator.

Sgt Williamson,

Please note; my request was not for the "findings",
YELLING at me in response as though it were, is inexcusable.

Further, I do not accept that you have provided all of the information that the law will allow you to provide.

Though it would seem that you would rather respond to my inquiries with as little information as the law requires, if that, it is my contrary expectation that you will respond instead as candidly, forthrightly and honestly as the law will allow.

If there is confusion over your obligations as a Public Information Officer and a public servant in regard to the distinction, now would be a good time to involve someone to speak for the Sheriff and who casts a bigger shadow.

My request was and still is for responses to three legitimate questions,
not one of which you responded to at all.
1. When,
2. where and
3. how does the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Department intend to prosecute the unidentified "third party" for withholding "information" in the investigation of Steve Tellez?

Why do you suppose that the Journal, KRQE, KOAT and KOB TV don't care what's going on here?

Is it because the mysterious third party is the leadership of the APS?

Are they trying to stall until Marty Esquivel is off the school board in order to insulate him from more accountability over the standards and accountability crisis in the leadership of the APS; the most of which will be made public when the findings are finally released?




Houston photo Mark Bralley