This is a follow-up story on a nasty scam run by members of the Albuquerque Police Department, in conjunction with a local attorney. It lasted most of a decade, surprising, given how transparent it was.
We first covered the story in March of 2025. New information has since become available, most of it as a result of a plea agreement made by a principal conspirator, former APD Lieutenant James Hunt.
By the way, Hunt is apparently the 10th APD officer to take a plea rather than go to trial.
Here’s how he explains the scam: A paralegal employed by attorney Thomas Clear III would go out drinking with a prospective victim, ostensibly to have a good time. The paralegal would encourage the target to continue drinking until he was obviously intoxicated, then contact Lieutenant Hunt to let the officer know when and where the target would be driving home.
Hunt would take care of the arrest himself. At some point during the process, Hunt would confide to the intoxicated driver that there was in fact a way to have the charges dismissed — but it would require the services of a particular attorney.
That attorney was, of course, Thomas Clear III.
I wonder if they even gave the sucker the attorney’s business card.
Hunt was paid for his services, sometimes in kind, such as when Clear provided legal representation during a difficult divorce.
It’s an incredibly dishonest way for officers of the court to behave, and I imagine those hearing or reading the story now are having some difficulty understanding how they managed to get away with it for as long as they did.
Somehow, amazingly, this crude scam went on for years without meriting an investigation by the Internal Affairs Division– had there been an investigation, it would no doubt have put an end to the conspiracy and led to severe punishment for those involved.
At least, it’s all over now. Still, the ACLU has provided us with this account from one of the many victims of the conspiracy.
