ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO – A retired Albuquerque police officer is the latest to plead guilty in a federal investigation into a DWI bribery scheme involving multiple law enforcement agencies in New Mexico.
Timothy McCarson entered his plea Monday in federal court. McCarson joined APD’s DWI unit in 2011 and admitted to participating in the scheme around 2015. According to court documents, McCarson accepted $5,000 in 2021 to help a suspect avoid consequences for a DWI arrest.
Prosecutors have recommended a sentence of no more than 46 months in prison, though a judge will make the final decision.
The bribery scheme allegedly involved officers from the Albuquerque Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, and New Mexico State Police. Investigators say officers were paid to skip court hearings, allowing DWI cases to be dismissed. Attorney Thomas Clear III, identified as a central figure in the scheme, has also pleaded guilty to federal charges.
The case is part of a broader effort to address corruption tied to DWI enforcement across the state.
