ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —
Former Albuquerque Police Department officer Johnny Garcia, 40, was found not guilty on Feb. 17, 2023. Garcia was acquitted of all charges following claims of sexual assault in 2022.
Garcia filed a lawsuit in the Second Judicial District Court against his former employer, APD, and the APD sergeant tasked with investigating his case.
According to the criminal complaint, a security guard employed by Securitas Company assigned to Albuquerque's International Sunport Airport accused Garcia of "luring her into a closet, while on duty, to force sexual acts." However, Garcia disputed the claims — stating their relationship was consensual.
KOAT legal expert John Day said Garcia filed the lawsuit under New Mexico's Civil Rights Act, a relatively new law. However, civil cases like these could take time to make their way through the system.
"The former officer is saying APD, who did the investigation, the investigators who investigated the claim of rape, did a poor job," Day said. "They didn't do a complete job. They made up facts. They were reckless. It took the jury only three hours to acquit him. So, the jury believed his story."
The lawsuit alleges the APD sergeant made "numerous" false claims on the police report. After viewing surveillance video, the sergeant claimed the woman involved was left "disoriented, confused and upset." Garcia's attorneys argued it's "impossible" to "observe detail" and "emotional content" based on the quality of the Sunport's...
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