ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) -A Roswell police officer who claimed a fast food worker spit in his drink has now been arrested for making the whole thing up. Before his arrest the officer quit and turned in his patrol car and there were drugs and stolen items inside.
According to the criminal complaint investigators watched video from the restaurant and saw no evidence that the worker spit in Moreno’s drink. When confronted by a fellow officer police say Moreno admitted to spitting in his own drink because he didn’t like the sonic worker who he’d arrested for petty crimes in the past.
The complaint says that knowing he would be fired, Moreno resigned yesterday and turned in his equipment. Officers were surprised by what they found inside his patrol car.”More contraband was found in the trunk, which not only violates policy but possession of some of these constitute a criminal event as well,” said Chief Philip Smith, with Roswell Police.
Inside the trunk they found meth, drug pipes,a BB gun and a suspect’s driver’s license. It was all evidence he’d kept from cases.
Moreno’s says there is a lot more to the story and he wants a chance to tell his side eventually.
As for Roswell Police they say this kind of behavior will not be tolerated.” I’m the third generation of four generations of law enforcement, I take personal offense to this as every member of this police department does,” said Smith.
This is another case that DNA helped solve. It was after investigators told officer Moreno that they’d need his DNA to make sure the spit in the drink wasn’t his that he confessed.
Roswell police say Moreno was with the department for a year and a half he resigned from the department once the investigation began. Moreno was booked into the Chaves County Detention Center on a $5,000 surety bond.
Moreno faces a long list of charges for everything from making a false report to drug and theft charges for the stuff found in the trunk of his patrol car.
