Bernalillo County deputy resigns after child abuse, battery indictment

A Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office deputy indicted in a child abuse and aggravated battery case has resigned, but the move leaves the criminal case and the agency’s accountability questions in place. Bryan Lassley stepped down last week, and BCSO announced the resignation Monday, June 15, 2026.

The case stems from a December 3, 2025, encounter outside the Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention and Youth Services Center, where Lassley responded to remove a teenage girl who had been accused of causing problems. Investigators said Lassley took photos of the girl’s injuries and pushed her. Other reporting said prosecutors later alleged that he shoved the girl and slammed her head into a patrol vehicle twice.

Lassley was indicted by a grand jury on child abuse and felony aggravated battery charges. Court records reported by KOB said he pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance. The girl involved was reported in some coverage to be 16 years old.

BCSO said Lassley was placed on administrative leave on December 10, 2025, after Sheriff John Allen learned of the allegation. The department also said its internal affairs probe was paused because the matter required an independent criminal investigation. New Mexico State Police led that investigation, and the case was later sent to the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office for possible charges.

Sheriff John Allen announced in March 2026 that Lassley would be terminated after the investigation. Lassley’s resignation came after that termination decision was already public, meaning the departure changes his employment status but not the indictment or the underlying facts now before the courts.

The episode has drawn particular scrutiny because it involved a juvenile in a detention setting, where deputies are expected to maintain control while using restraint and documenting any force carefully. Local reporting also noted that body-camera video showed Lassley shoving and striking the 16-year-old against a patrol vehicle, details that deepen questions about what BCSO knew, when it knew it, and what discipline records or video the public may still see.

Lassley joined BCSO in 2020. His name had already drawn attention after a separate 2024 North Valley crash that killed 43-year-old Alexandria Girard, though no charges were filed in that case.

For Bernalillo County, the resignation is not the end of the story. The indictment, the outside investigation and the sheriff’s office’s own handling of the case still define the public record, and they will continue to test how the agency polices its own conduct.