El Paso police arrested a Lincoln County, New Mexico sheriff deputy in connection with a prostitution sting, authorities said.
Lincoln County Sheriff Michael Wood announced the arrest of Deputy Michael Luciano Gallardo in a video posted on the sheriff’s office Facebook page. Gallardo was arrested on Wednesday, April 29, on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution, El Paso jail records show.
“A couple of months ago, I hired a deputy sheriff. His name’s Michael Gallardo,” Wood said. “Michael came to me from another agency, an agency he’d been at as a peace officer for about 18 years. But yesterday he went to El Paso, Texas on his day off and got caught up in a prostitution sting. Everybody’s innocent until proven guilty, but he got arrested.”
Wood added, “Michael doesn’t work for me anymore.”
No attorney is listed in court records for Gallardo. Lincoln County is in Southeast New Mexico and includes the Village of Ruidoso.
Wood said he is notifying the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy Board for review of Gallardo’s certification to operate as a peace officer in New Mexico.
No further information has been released.
Gallardo, who was listed as living in Capitan, New Mexico, was booked into the El Paso County jail on Wednesday, April 29, on a $1,000 bond. He posted bail and was released from jail the same day, jail logs show.
Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: New Mexico sheriff deputy arrested in El Paso prostitution sting
Reporting by Aaron Martinez, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
