Former Bernalillo Deputy Faces 20 Years in DWI Bribery Scheme

Paul Jessen Jr., a former Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office detective, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday for his role in a bribery scheme that allowed drunk driving offenders to avoid court. The charge is conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right. If convicted, Jessen faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.

The indictment alleges that between March 2018 and January 2024, Jessen worked with an unidentified senior deputy to accept bribes from attorney Thomas Clear III. In exchange for dismissing Clear’s clients’ DWI cases, the deputies received items of value. These included a Craftsman tool chest, a Pit Boss smoker, a flat screen television, and free legal representation.

Jessen is the second Bernalillo County deputy charged in this decadeslong corruption network. Previously, Deputy Jeffrey Hammerel pleaded guilty to federal racketeering and extortion charges. Hammerel admitted to participating in the scheme since 2017 while conspiring with a supervisory BCSO deputy. Nine Albuquerque police officers, two attorneys, and a paralegal have also pleaded guilty to federal charges.

Federal prosecutors have not identified the senior deputy, referred to as “co-conspirator 1” in the court documents. Tessa DuBerry, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, stated that the office cannot confirm the identity or current employment status of this individual. She also declined to say if former deputies Johann Jareno and Jeffry Bartram are under investigation. Both men were identified by Sheriff John Allen as being tied to the scheme and were added to the local Brady-Giglio list, which flags law enforcement personnel as potentially untrustworthy witnesses.

Jessen’s path to the indictment contrasts with earlier support he received from leadership. He joined the BCSO in 2012 and served in the DWI unit starting in 2016. In September 2024, when he was first indicted for a separate federal case, Sheriff Allen called him a “great deputy” and an asset to the agency. Allen terminated Jessen on September 17, 2026. In an email sent Wednesday, Allen said he is working closely with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office but will not comment further on federal investigations.

The scheme first became public in January 2024 after FBI agents raided the homes of several police officers and the law offices of Clear and his paralegal, Ricardo Mendez. The indictment notes that Jessen initially refused a cash bribe from Mendez, expressing concern to a senior deputy. He later agreed to accept items for his home in exchange for allowing clients to skip required court appearances. Of the eight DWI cases involving Clear that Jessen handled between 2016 and 2019, all but one were dismissed.

Jessen is currently awaiting a December 15 sentencing hearing for a separate conviction. A jury found him guilty in July of obstructing justice by tipping off a North Valley drug dealer about a DEA investigation. His partner, Kyle Linker, also pleaded guilty to participating in that cover-up. The dealer, Rod White, testified against Jessen during a four-day trial where Jessen did not take the stand. His attorney, Joel Meyers, has indicated that an appeal of the obstruction conviction is probable.

Jessen’s legal team could not be reached for comment on the new extortion charges. The federal case highlights the continued expansion of the probe, which began as a local police corruption matter and has since implicated personnel from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and state police.