SANTA FE, NM – On February 15, 2022, Judge Jeffrey Shannon of the Eighth Judicial District Court in Taos entered an order granting judgment to Taos County and Sheriff Hogrefe, Undersheriff Miera,and three deputies in a lawsuit filed by former Taos County Detention Center Officer Phillip Ortiz.
Ortiz had worked at the detention center for over seven years when Sheriff’s deputies arrested him on June 26, 2018, pursuant to an arrest warrant obtained at the conclusion of their investigation, and charged him with multiple felony counts, including trafficking heroin and methamphetamine and bringing contraband into a jail. He was fired from his job. Ultimately, the District Attorney dismissed the criminal charges “on grounds that the case will be presented to a grand jury.” The criminal case against Ortiz was never re-filed by the DA’s Office. In June of 2021, Ortiz sued Taos County and the Sheriff’s Office for false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and violation of his civil rights. Judge Shannon ruled on a motion filed by the defendants and found that the defendants were entitled to immunity from suit and dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice.
“I’m happy with the court’s ruling and I believe that it sends a message that the Sheriff’s Office did nothing improper,” stated Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe.
The New Mexico Counties is a non-profit, nonpartisan association representing New Mexico’s 33 counties since 1936.
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