MDC guard busted as jail drug smuggler

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - A correctional officer at Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center is out of a job and facing a lot of drug charges, but this bust was no surprise.

MDC says a crackdown is working.

The center has been teamed up with Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department since January to try and catch bad MDC officers.

Rob Padilla, 23, had only been employed at MDC since February and was still on probationary status. On Thursday he was caught in a sting.

Bernalillo County Public Safety Director Tom Swisstack said Padilla arrived at work and then left the building to pick up a package. When he returned sheriff's deputies were there to arrest him.

They allegedly found marijuana, heroin, Suboxene, rolling papers and some cash in his boxer shorts.

MDC has been struggling with guards gone bad for some time. A dozen guards have been arrested over the last two years.

In January, Demetrio Gonzales, Kevin Casaus, Matthew Pendley, Manuel Marques and Priscilla Seiben were accused of being involved in the beating of an inmate . Before that, two other guards were caught on tape brawling at a Hooters Restaurant during a Raiders-Broncos football game.

In July, MDC announced $2 million in upgrades to cameras and other security tools to clean things up. However, Swisstack said catching Padilla had more to do with a new collaboration between MDC and the sheriff's department started nine months ago.

Swisstack said now when they receive tips or other intelligence, whether it's MDC or the sheriff's department, they team up immediately to deal with the problem.

Padilla has been fired and faces charges of drug trafficking and distribution, tampering with evidence and bringing contraband into a jail.