5 MDC guards arrested for beating, cover-up

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Five correctional officers at the Metropolitan Detention Center have been arrested after an alleged attack on an inmate.

According to the criminal complaint, at around 4 o'clock Wednesday morning in the booking area at MDC.

Investigators says surveillance video shows C.O. Demetrio Gonzales, 39, grabbed Christopher Shields by the throat after Shields refused to get his photo taken in the identification area. Shields was being booked into MDC on a DWI charge.

The complaint then says Gonzales started hitting Shields while three other officers, Pricilla Sieben, Kevin Casaus and Manual Marquez entered the room and watched.

Investigators say Gonzales then walked Shields into the shower area of a dressing room while holding and twisting the back of his shirt. The complaint says Gonzales was followed into the room by officers Casaus, Marquez and Matthew Pendley, shutting the door behind them.

The report says Shields told police he was then hit in the face, kneed and placed in a choke hold by Gonzales.  Afterward, the complaint alleges Casaus hit Shields in the back of the head and kicked him repeatedly.

Following the attack, investigators say Marquez, Pendley and another inmate helped clean up Shields' blood from the shower area.

All five guards were arrested this morning. Four had first appearances in court.

Gonzales and Casaus are being charged with aggravated battery, kidnapping, conspiracy and tampering with evidence.

Pendley and Marquez face kidnapping, conspiracy and tampering with evidence charges while Sieben is just being charged with conspiracy.

All five officers are on paid administrative leave pending further investigation. MDC Chief Ramon Rustin says if the allegations are true, the officers involved will be fired.

There is surveillance video of the incident, but it was not released pending further investigation.