BLM employee accused of theft

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - A temporary firefighter for the Bureau of Land Management is in jail accused of trying to buy $10,000 worth of items on an agency credit card.

Nicholas Mondragon, 29, is charged with theft of government property and fraud. A BLM spokesperson says he is a firefighter who works for the agency when needed.

According to court documents Mondragon tried to make five purchases in one day using a fleet credit card that he was not authorized to use. Three of the charges were declined and that tipped of his bosses to the alleged theft.

Court documents say one of the successful purchases was of a winch worth $1,187.99 at 4-Wheel Parts Performance Center in Albuquerque.

Another successful purchase was for tools worth $1,169.96 made at Fastenal in Albuquerque.

Purchases for $2,720 and $1,400 worth of welding equipment from Airgas stores and a purchase for $2,544.99 for a pair of binoculars from Outdoorsman of Santa Fe were declined.

An administrator at BLM was made aware of the suspicious purchases and contacted authorities.

They were able to arrest Mondragon after employees at the affected businesses picked him out of a photo line up.

Mondragon told authorities he accessed the credit card information after a lock box was left open. He claims he was not the only one with the information.

A BLM spokesperson tells KRQE News 13 Mondragon won't be working for their agency until this case is complete. There's also a chance he won't be able to work for any other federal agency