LAS VEGAS, N.M. (KRQE) – A former Las Vegas police officer is facing federal charges as surveillance video shows him knocking out a postal worker. Retired Las Vegas Police officer Robert Gutierrez told police he punched a postal worker and officers told Gutierrez they didn’t think him punching a federal employee would be an issue.
Story continues below:
- Crime: VIDEO: Police let Lordsburg mayor go after DWI stop
- Albuquerque: Albuquerque man believes mysterious peacock is his late wife
- Community: What’s happening around New Mexico June 9 – June 15
- New Mexico: The Rio Grande can be dangerous, here are some safety tips
“Being a retired police officer, I don’t think you’ll be going to jail. Okay?” an officer said in lapel video.
However, federal investigators disagree. Surveillance video taken on December 3 shows Gutierrez punching the postal worker in the face, the first time, as he turned around from reaching into his truck. He told officers the worker was the one being threatening.
Both the postal worker and Guterirrez told officers they’d been arguing for a couple of weeks over politics. In a federal complaint, the postal worker told investigators he left a notice in Gutierrez’s mailbox informing him he can pick up his parcel at the post office in order to avoid another conflict. USPS says the postal worker, not even trying to deliver the package, is against policy.
“I have no idea. Like I said, I have no idea why the f*** he came all the way over here, no. He had no reason to come over here. All his mail got delivered,” the postal worker said in lapel video.
Video shows moments after the first punch, the two exchange words for about a minute. Gutierrez claims the worker was threatening his family, which he denies. Gutierrez then punches the postal worker in the face again and on the way down, he hit his head on the mail truck’s bumper. The postal worker stands up only to have Gutierrez punch him in the face for a third and final time knocking him out cold.
“In retrospect, I understand, I probably should’ve walked away but like the dude is just like setting me up, man. He’s holding a package from me, then he’s threatening my family, and then he’s telling me… oh it’s a… like basically wanting me to f****** assault him. You know what I mean?” Gutierrez said in the lapel video.
The postal worker denies threatening Gutierrez or his family. He was released from jail pending trial on the condition that he gets a mental health assessment and seeks treatment.
