SANTA FE – A former Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office detective has been convicted in federal court of obstructing a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation by helping warn suspected drug traffickers about pending law enforcement operations.
A federal jury this week found Paul Jessen Jr. guilty on four of five counts, including obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal investigators, following a trial in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque.
Federal prosecutors said Jessen and former BCSO detective Kyle Linker used their positions in the sheriff’s Community Action Team to alert suspects in 2021 that they were under DEA investigation. Investigators said the pair warned targets about planned raids and surveillance, allowing suspects to avoid arrest, destroy evidence, or temporarily halt their drug activity…