Bernalillo County sheriff’s lieutenant placed on leave after DWI checkpoint citation

A Bernalillo County sheriff’s lieutenant is off the job after being cited at a DWI checkpoint in Northwest Albuquerque, a case that raises fresh questions about how the agency handles one of its own while it remains under scrutiny in a broader corruption probe. Paul Montoya was placed on administrative leave Monday, and the sheriff’s office said the move stems from the traffic stop and an open internal affairs investigation.

According to an Albuquerque Police Department report, the stop happened Sunday at a checkpoint on Western Trail near Coors NW after an APD officer believed the woman driving with Montoya may have been under the influence. Officers also believed Montoya was under the influence and described him as argumentative during the encounter. The report says Montoya removed a “tea and vodka” can from the floorboard, poured the liquid onto the pavement and crushed the can. Montoya told officers the can was not his.

Montoya was charged with having an open container in a vehicle and littering, then cited and released. A public service aide searched the vehicle, and Montoya and the woman were allowed to gather personal belongings before the truck was towed. Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jayme Gonzales said Montoya has been with BCSO since October 2011, but the agency could not offer additional details because of the internal affairs case.

The incident lands at a sensitive moment for BCSO. Since January 2024, federal investigators have been examining an alleged DWI corruption scheme tied to officers, defense attorney Thomas Clear III and paralegal Ricardo “Rick” Mendez, with some law enforcement personnel accused of taking bribes so DWI cases would be dismissed. Sheriff John Allen placed deputy Jeff Hammerel on leave after FBI contact in February 2025, and Hammerel later pleaded guilty to receiving a bribe, extortion and conspiracy. In March 2025, BCSO also placed deputy Jeffry Bartram on paid leave after receiving information from the FBI.

Allen has said the department is trying to strengthen oversight by building systems to track dismissals, missed hearings and other warning signs. Montoya’s case will likely sharpen public attention on whether BCSO is holding its supervisors to the same standard it expects from every driver stopped at a checkpoint, a question that matters to Sandoval County residents who cross the metro area and rely on the integrity of DWI enforcement.