Albuquerque Journal
SANTA FE COUNTY, N.M. — The man who was once the chief law enforcement officer for Santa Fe County started his own stint behind bars Friday.
Former Sheriff Greg Solano was booked into the Santa Fe County jail to begin serving his three month sentence for selling Sheriff’s Office property on eBay and pocketing the money. If he behaves himself in his new role as inmate, though, “good time” could cut Solano’s actual time locked up to six weeks.
Solano never denied his role in the scam, saying that he was reacting to the fact that his personal finances were in a mess. “I was desperate, and I was stupid,” he said on the day of his sentencing.
Solano was elected sheriff in 2002 and again in 2006. Earlier, he was an officer in the Santa Fe Police Department, which he left in 1996. He resigned as sheriff in November.
Originally, Solano was charged with 252 counts of embezzlement or fraud, for eBay sales that included bulletproof vests, holsters, cellphones and office equipment.
He pleaded guilty to five counts of third-degree fraud in July. He was ordered to pay back $25,000 to the county.
His actual sentence from District Judge Stephen Pfeffer is 15 years, with all but one year suspended. He will be on electronic monitoring to fill out that year after he is released from jail, then will be on probation for four years.
Copyright 2011 Albuquerque Journal