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Guilty on All Counts: Sheryl Williams Stapleton Convicted in Federal Corruption Trial

Natassja Leyba — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 18:02:28 +0000

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A federal jury has found former New Mexico House Majority Leader Sheryl Williams Stapleton guilty on all 37 counts in a public corruption case centered on Albuquerque Public Schools contracts.

Jurors also found Stapleton’s longtime associate and co-defendant, Joseph Johnson, guilty on all charges.

The verdict came after jurors began deliberating Thursday in federal court.

Stapleton faced charges including fraud, bribery, conspiracy, and money laundering. Prosecutors alleged she used her position as Albuquerque Public Schools’ Career and Technical Education coordinator to direct district funds to Johnson’s company, Robotics Management Learning Systems.

According to prosecutors, Johnson then provided Stapleton with blank checks, allowing her to spend more than $1.1 million for personal benefit.

During closing arguments, the government urged jurors to “follow the money,” arguing that Stapleton and Johnson failed to disclose conflicts of interest and improperly benefited from APS contracts. Prosecutors pointed to financial records, disclosure forms, and billing documents that they said showed the pair concealed the arrangement and overbilled the district.

Stapleton’s defense argued there was no direct evidence showing a coordinated scheme between the two defendants. Her attorneys acknowledged she received money she should not have accepted but maintained the funds came from Johnson rather than taxpayers.

Johnson’s attorneys argued he was unaware of Stapleton’s actions and claimed an employee provided checks to Stapleton without his knowledge.

Following the verdict, prosecutors requested that both defendants be taken into custody. However, the judge ruled that Stapleton and Johnson will remain out of custody pending sentencing.

The case marks the end of one of New Mexico’s most closely watched public corruption trials, involving a former top state lawmaker who represented Albuquerque in the Legislature for years while working within APS.

Sentencing dates have not yet been announced.

New Mexico could benefit soon from Super “El Niño”

Zoltan Csanyi — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 17:57:10 +0000

Miami, Fl (KKOB) – El Niño is strengthening, with a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event or Super El Niño during the fall and winter 2026-27 in the Northern Hemisphere and it could become the strongest El Niño on record. New Mexico could be in for a wetter winter as El Niño continues to strengthen in the Pacific Ocean

As of Thursday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — the weather anomaly is more than three times as large, reaching almost 2 degrees above average.

NOAA says there is a high probability the climate pattern will reach very strong status by the end of the year and could become the strongest El Niño ever recorded. Historically, El Niño events favor increased storm activity across the Southwest, often bringing higher-than-normal rainfall and snow to New Mexico.

Forecasters will continue monitoring conditions in the months ahead.

City of Albuquerque launches website promoting city-owned properties available for sale or lease

Zoltan Csanyi — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 17:38:17 +0000

Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) – The City of Albuquerque has launched a new online portal that lists nearly 200 city-owned properties available for sale or lease, including vacant lots and other parcels that are no longer needed for city operations. Sometimes the City owns property that is no longer needed. When that happens, the City may decide to sell the property.

In an effort to put the city’s unused land to use, it has created a new Available City Properties website where all of its vacant land for sale or lease will be listed.\

The new website features an interactive map that allows potential buyers, developers, and community members to search available properties and track sites that are already in the acquisition process. Officials say the goal is to make city-owned land more accessible and encourage future investment, redevelopment, and economic growth. Currently, 188 properties are listed, with 14 already under contract.

U.S and Mexico hold large scale show of force exercise along the border

Zoltan Csanyi — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 17:10:34 +0000

El Paso, TX (KKOB) – In July, the State Department added the cartel known as “La Linea”, remnants of the old Juarez Cartel, to the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations that includes the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels, in Mexico.

“This cartel, La Línea, has been terrorizing both sides of the border for decades,” according to Justin Simmons, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, adding that cartel leaders have made billions of dollars through trafficking from Mexico into the United States, through the El Paso and southern New Mexico area.

U.S and Mexico conduct joint exercise along Rio Grande in El Paso, TX

On Thursday. U.S. and Mexican authorities held a large-scale security exercise along the Rio Grande to show how law enforcement and military agencies on both sides of the border can respond to a potential security threat. The exercise was led by the U.S. Border Patrol’s El Paso Sector, which includes all of the state of New Mexico and included multiple U.S. federal agencies and, on the Mexican side, units from the Mexican Army and National Guard.

Helicopters, tactical units, military personnel, and law enforcement vehicles could be seen operating along the border as a demonstration in their ability to deploy personnel and coordinate quickly across jurisdictions and even internationally.

Pedestrian killed in traffic crash on South Broadway in Albuquerque

Zoltan Csanyi — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 15:01:19 +0000

Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) – Bernalillo County Sheriff’s deputies are on the scene of a fatal accident on South Broadway or Highway 47 where a pedestrian was killed. BCSO reports that Broadway is shutdown both north and south at Desert Road in the South Valley.
The Sheriff’s office says that the intersection will be closed for several hours and recommend people to use I-25

Spiritual cleansing of Zorro Ranch

Mike Gaba — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 23:10:36 +0000

Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) — The owners of Jeffrey Epstein’s former New Mexico ranch say they took an unusual step after purchasing the property. According to Devin Huffines, the family arranged for an exorcism of the ranch because of concerns surrounding the property’s past and allegations connected to Epstein. The ranch, now known as San Rafael Ranch, was purchased in 2023 and is expected to be transformed into a Christian retreat. Meanwhile, state investigators continue to examine potential evidence connected to the property’s history.

Looking to preserve Sunspot

Mike Gaba — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 21:15:32 +0000

Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) — City leaders in Alamogordo are backing efforts to preserve parts of the historic Sunspot Solar Observatory. The City Commission voted unanimously to ask the National Science Foundation to delay demolition plans while community groups explore alternative uses for the property. Ideas under consideration include astronomy education programs, summer camps, academic retreats, and dark-sky tourism. Advocates say additional time could help them secure partners and funding needed to reuse the site.

Measles count is now 18

Mike Gaba — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 21:13:20 +0000

Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) — A new measles case has been confirmed in Eddy County, pushing New Mexico’s total number of cases this year to 18. According to the New Mexico Department of Health, the patient is an unvaccinated adult who likely became infected while traveling outside the state. Officials have identified several public exposure locations in Artesia, including Walmart, Artesia General Hospital, and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. Health officials say people who may have been exposed should watch for symptoms and verify their measles vaccination status.

Man bitten by bear in Cedar Crest and two other bears caught in Albuquerque and Santa Fe

Zoltan Csanyi — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 17:36:07 +0000

Cedar Crest, NM (KKOB) – An East Mountain resident is recovering after being bit by a bear on Wednesday in the Cedar Crest area while he was walking his dog. The NM Department of Wildlife says the man received non-life threatening injuries and are conducting an investigation into the incident.

Meanwhile, another bear was found cruising in Albuquerque is now back in the mountains. This latest bear sighting and capture was near Lomas and Eubank. Video from the property manager at the Siegel Suites shows department of wildlife staffers tranquilizing the black bear and showing it falling from a tree onto a mat. The bear was put into a cage and removed from the area.

In Santa Fe, the city’s animal services, park rangers and NM Dept. of Wildlife were able to remove a bear from Ashbaugh Park. The bear was spotted Wednesday morning by park rangers. The bear was tranquilized to allow it to be loaded up and moved to a wilderness area in northern New Mexico.

Santa Fe City Council approves $2.2 million for new SFPD drone program

Zoltan Csanyi — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 17:19:24 +0000

Santa Fe, NM (KKOB) – The Santa Fe City Council voted 6-2 Wednesday to approve a $2.2 million contract for a new police drones that will allow SFPD to dispatch drones from various base locations around the city to calls ahead of, or in place of, an officer.

City Councilors Alma Castro and Pat Feghali were the two members who voted against the contract, expressing concerns over the cost of the drone program, as well as increased surveillance and privacy concerns. Interim police chief Ben Valdez, pointed to searches for missing people, crisis situations and other types of 911 calls as some of the potential reasons to put in place the new drone program, calling it a “de-escalation tool” that could lead to “better outcomes” during high-stress situations.

Also during Wednesday’s meeting, the council approved more than $2 million to purchase new vehicles for the police department and five new officer positions.