The highest ranking officer being investigated as part of a corruption probe into the Albuquerque Police Department’s DWI unit has resigned.
Lt. Justin Hunt resigned on Wednesday, Gilbert Gallegos, an APD spokesman, confirmed.
“I can’t comment further except to say the administrative investigation is on-going,” Gallegos wrote in an email.
The FBI is investigating four other officers along with Hunt regarding allegations that they were working with a local defense attorney, Thomas Clear, to get cases dismissed or not even brought to court.
One complaint that has been made public alleges that one of the officers, Honorio Alba, told a person he arrested that if he hired a certain attorney he would ensure no charges were filed.
Hunt declined to comment when reached by City Desk ABQ on Thursday.
John D’Amato, an attorney with the Albuquerque Police Officers Association, said he knew Hunt resigned but the part of an internal affairs investigation that he dealt with is not related to the DWI investigation.
Gallegos said the other officers—Alba, Joshua Montano, Harvey Johnson and Nelson Ortiz—are still with the department. They are on administrative leave while an internal investigation continues.
Meanwhile, the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office has dismissed 194 DWI cases due to concerns about the officer’s credibility as witnesses.
Gallegos said Hunt joined APD in July of 2000 and was with the DWI unit from August 2011 to May 2014. His last position was as a lieutenant in the Southeast Area Command. He was the highest paid city employee in 2023, bringing home $256,908—the majority of which appears to be from overtime since his pay is $47 an hour.