Santa Fe judge candidate, ex-cop found guilty of 'dishonesty' by state board
SANTA FE – Sam Sena, a candidate for Santa Fe County magistrate judge and a retired New Mexico State Police officer, last year had his police certification suspended, after the state Law Enforcement Academy Board found him guilty of “dishonesty” and displaying “a lack of good moral character.”
He retired from the State Police when a board investigation into his alleged “untruthfulness and unprofessional conduct” began to unfold. Sena said in a statement Wednesday that he’s learned from his mistake and the experience “will make me a more effective judge.”
Sena, who says on his campaign website that he now serves as community liaison for the Santa Fe County Magistrate Court DWI Drug Court, faces attorney John A. Ryansek in the June 5 Democratic primary for the court’s Division 3 judgeship. He was a 15-year veteran of the State Police when he retired in July 2016.
According to documents obtained from the Department of Public Safety under a records request, Sena’s retirement came two days after he received notice of possible termination from the State Police over alleged falsification of firearms qualification scores for other officers in his role as an instructor at the Law Enforcement Academy.
Read more: https://www.abqjournal.com/1166380/santa-fe-judge-candidate-ex-cop-found-guilty-of-dishonesty-by-state-board.html