http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/richardsonletter/richardsonsettle.htm#gear1

I have received your letter requesting assistance from the office of Governor Bill Richardson on an issue that you have within the Judicial Branch of Government.

Your statement distorts what we wrote to you.

Nowhere in our Thursday November 2, 2006 09:16 eletter/letter did we ask Governor Richardson intervene with the Judicial Branch of Government.

If you disagree with our above statement, then show everyone direct quote from of Thursday November 2, 2006 09:16 eletter/letter supporting your contention.

As you may know, the Governor of the State of New Mexico, under the Separation of Powers Doctrine, cannot intervene in the judicial process.

We asked Governor Richardson to intervene to that these unfortunate matters get settled before they get worse.

You evade the questions about Governor Richardson or his office role in defaming us by possibly inciting Cibola Internet Service to terminate pro se fights at New Mexico on-line.

You wrote

Therefore, this office is unable to offer assistance in this regard.

We believe that your above statement is incorrect.

And, in fact, Governor Richardson is complelled by his Oath of Office to see that Bosson responds to our August 27, 2006 writ petition and to see that Bosson "will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution and laws of this state."

You wrote

However, private legal counsel may help your efforts to resolve this matter expeditiously and to your satisfaction.

We have tried private legal counsel during our 14 year legal project without success for reasons of incompetence, poor educational background, not obeying the laws and constitution of the State of New Mexico.

New Mexico attorney Patricia Madrid, a UNM law graduate, provides a example with all evidence in writing of just what we write in the above paragraph.

Attorney general Madrid has not responded to our August 27, 2006 letter.

Attoney general Madrid appears to have violated New Mexiico 30-28-2. Conspiracy. by helping defraud us out of our $644 dollars in paid for two 12 person jury trial lawsuits against former judge W John Brennan guaranteed inviolate by New Mexico and US constitutions.

See written receipts prima facie case evidence
http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/supremecourt/exhibitk.htm
http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/supremecourt/exhibitl.htm

So as you can see by the above example attorney general Madrid has provided in writing, legal counsel is not likely to help resolve matters. Instead, Madrid has apparently violated New Mexico law 30-28-2. Conspiracy in writing.

You wrote

Please let me know how we may be of help in the future.

We believe that you can help by responding to our questions as opposed to attempting to dodge responsibility.

You wrote

This office is open to you for any concerns on subject matters within our domain.

Thank you. We do this.

Please ask Governonr Richardson to complete the following verified questionnaire by December 1, 2006 so that we can proceed toward settlement or take our next legal steps.

Sincerely

Arthur R. Morales
465 Washington St SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
505-323-7277

William H. Payne
13015 Calle de Sandias NE
Albuquerque, NM 87111
505-292-7037

Response.

TRUE

FALSE

Section 1. [Oath of officer.] Every person elected or appointed to any office shall, before entering upon his duties, take and subscribe to an oath or affirmation that he will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution and laws of this state, and that he will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of his office to the best of his ability.

Response.

TRUE

FALSE

xxx

Under penalty of perjury as provided by law, the undersigned certifies that material factual statements set forth in this pleading are true and correct, except as to any matters therein stated to be information and belief of such matters the undersigned certifies as aforesaid that the undersigned verily believes the same to be true.

Notary Public ______________________________________


I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on _________________

____________________________
Signed: Bill Richardson

November 3, 2006

Mr. William H. Payne
13015 Calle De Sandias NE

Dear Mr. Payne:

I have received your letter requesting assistance from the office of Governor Bill Richardson on an issue that you have within the Judicial Branch of Government. As you may know, the Governor of the State of New Mexico, under the Separation of Powers Doctrine, cannot intervene in the judicial process. Therefore, this office is unable to offer assistance in this regard.

However, private legal counsel may help your efforts to resolve this matter expeditiously and to your satisfaction.

Please let me know how we may be of help in the future. This office is open to you for any concerns on subject matters within our domain.

Sincerely,

Becky Gear
Director Constituent Services and Correspondence

Sincerely

Arthur R. Morales
465 Washington St SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
505-323-7277

William H. Payne
13015 Calle de Sandias NE
Albuquerque, NM 87111
505-292-7037

Distribution

phil@garyking.org
info@garyking.org
james@garyking.org
sheila@garyking.org

alexis-valdez@hotmail.com

martinchavez@cabq.gov
mfleisher@aol.com

aoclmb@nmcourts.com

Sensenbrenner@mail.house.gov
arlen_specter@specter.senate.gov

Your post has been reviewed and has been determined to contain potentially libelous or slanderous remarks. It has been deleted. See our forum rules #6 and #8:6. You alone are responsible for the material you post. You will notknowingly post content or links to content that violates the copyright,trademark, patent or other intellectual property right of any thirdparty and that you will remove the same should you discover that youhave violated this provision. Likewise, you may not post content orlinks to content that is libelous, defamatory, obscene, racist, abusive,that violates a third party's right to privacy, that otherwise violatesany applicable local, state, national or international law, or that isotherwise inappropriate. You will indemnify SantaFeNewMexican.com, TheNew Mexican, Inc., its employees, agents, and affiliates from any andall claims and/or damages (including but not limited to reasonableattorneys' fees) resulting from any claim brought by any third partyrelating to content you have posted.We shall have the right, but not the obligation, to monitor the contentof the forums to determine compliance with all sections of thisAgreement and any other operating rules established by us. We shall havethe right in our sole discretion to edit, refuse to post, remove, orotherwise alter any material submitted to or posted on the chats orforums. Without limiting the foregoing, we shall have the right toremove any material that we, in our sole discretion, find to be inviolation of this agreement or inappropriate for any reason whateverwithout consent.8. You acknowledge and agree that you use and/or rely on any informationobtained through the discussion forums at your own risk.SantaFeNewMexican.com is not in any manner endorsing the content of thediscussion groups and cannot and will not vouch for its reliability. Thedisclaimer of liability contained in this section applies to any damagesor injury caused by any failure of performance, error, omission,interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission,computer virus, communication line failure, theft or destruction orunauthorized access to, alteration of, or use of record, whether forbreach of contract, tortious behavior, negligence, or under any othercause of action.Each user specifically acknowledges that we are not liable for thedefamatory, offensive or illegal conduct of third parties, subscribers,members or other users of the chats and forums and that the risk ofinjury from the foregoing rests entirely with each user. Please adhere to all the forum rules in future postings. http://www.freenewmexican.com/info/311.html

http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/richardsonletter/richardsonsettle.htm#richardson2

Bill Richardson
Office of the Governor
490 Old Santa Fe Trail
Room 400
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 476-2200

Dear Governor Richardson:

We sent you a copy of an email and certified letter we wrote to New Mexico Supreme Court judge Richard Bosson on April 12, 2005.

On April 13, 2005 our paid for website service at New Mexico on-line was terminated.

We were falsely accused by Cibola Internet Services with violation of its Internet Service Agreement # 14.

Payne files two credit card fraud complaints with US Bank and Cibola Internet Services CFO, Debra Uttaro, attempts to justify shutting down paid for website.

See http://www.prosefights.org/cibolafraud/cibolafraud.htm#duttaro

US Bank investigator Lane Gronli asks for response from Payne.
See http://www.prosefights.org/cibolafraud/cibolafraud.htm#gronliletter

Payne denies Cibola Internet Services' accusation that he violated any law or rule. See http://www.prosefights.org/cibolafraud/cibolafraud.htm#togronli

Cibola Internet Services' accusations are shown to be unjustifiable according to US Bank's investigation.

US Bank investigator Lane Gronli conducted the investigation.

US Bank Investigator credits Payne's account for fraudulent billings
See http://www.prosefights.org/cibolafraud/cibolafraud.htm#usbank1
and http://www.prosefights.org/cibolafraud/cibolafraud.htm#usbank2

Louis Uttaro, Debra Uttaro, and Sal Chavez have apparently committed the crime of credit card fraud.

New Mexico defines

30-11-1. Libel.

Libel consists of making, writing, publishing, selling or circulating without good motives and justifiable ends, any false and malicious statement affecting the reputation, business or occupation of another, or which exposes another to hatred, contempt, ridicule, degradation or disgrace.

Whoever commits libel is guilty of a misdemeanor.

The word "malicious," as used in this article, signifies an act done with evil or mischievous design and it is not necessary to prove any special facts showing ill-feeling on the part of the person who is concerned in making, printing, publishing or circulating a libelous statement against the person injured thereby.

A. A person is the maker of a libel who originally contrived and either executed it himself by writing, printing, engraving or painting, or dictated, caused or procured it to be done by others.

B. A person is the publisher of a libel who either of his own will or by the persuasion or dictation, or at the solicitation or employment for hire of another, executes the same in any of the modes pointed out as constituting a libel; but if anyone by force or threats is compelled to execute such libel he is guilty of no crime.

C. A person is guilty of circulating a libel who, knowing its contents, either sells, distributes or gives, or who, with malicious design, reads or exhibits it to others.

D. The written, printed or published statement to come within the definition of libel must falsely convey the idea either:

(1) that the person to whom it refers has been guilty of some penal offenses;

(2) that he has been guilty of some act or omission which, though not a penal offense, is disgraceful to him as a member of society, and the natural consequence of which is to bring him into contempt among honorable persons;

(3) that he has some moral vice or physical defect or disease which renders him unfit for intercourse with respectable society, and as such should cause him to be generally avoided;

(4) that he is notoriously of bad or infamous character; or

(5) that any person in office or a candidate therefor is dishonest and therefore unworthy of such office, or that while in office he has been guilty of some malfeasance rendering him unworthy of the place.

E. It shall be sufficient to constitute the crime of libel if the natural consequence of the publication of the same is to injure the person defamed although no actual injury to his reputation need be proven.

F. No statement made in the course of a legislative or judicial proceeding, whether true or false, although made with intent to injure and for malicious purposes, comes within the definition of libel.

Louis Utarro, Debra Uttaro and Sal Chavez have apparently committed the New Mexico crime of Libel by falsely claiming that Payne violated Cibola Internet Services Agreement #14.

Complaint about our Internet postings was also filed at Comcast. Comcast employee Jay left a message.

Comcast employee Severin reported that Comcast investigated and found no abuse.

We feel that these two incidents of attempt to prevent the public from seeing evidence of judicial misconduct in writing were likely caused by your office staff, you, or Bosson.

Cost of rebuilding our New Mexico On-line site at prosefights.org, we feel, should be borne your office, you, or Bosson.

But we feel that settlement of these unfortunate matters, which you have been aware since 1994, need to be immediately settle along the lines of our settlement conditions before matters get worse.

We wrote Felix Briones, Jr. Chairman, Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission on Friday October 27, 2006 and requested a response by Tuesday October 31, 2006.

We have not yet received a response.

The interruption in our website service disrupted our efforts in seeking justice and required time and money to resolve these matters. Also my reputation may be damaged.

Governor Richardson, this matter now goes far beyond New Mexico corrupt politics. It now involves criminal felony fraud of $644 for two 12 person jury trial breech of contract lawsuits against former second judicial chief judge W John Brennan et al.

This matter now involves violation of New Mexico and federal constitutions right to trial by jury invilolate and right to pro se litigation.

Criminal conduct, all evidence in writing, now involves Metro judge Judith Nakamua, second judicial district DA Kari Brandenburg and attorney general Patricia Madrid.

We ask that you immediately intervene to settle these matters and inform us by email by 08:30 Friday November 3, 2006 at amorales58@comcast.net, bpayne37@comcast.net or by phone.

Sincerely

Arthur R. Morales
465 Washington St SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
505-323-7277

William H. Payne
13015 Calle de Sandias NE
Albuquerque, NM 87111
505-292-7037

Distribution

ask.heather@mail.house.gov

phil@garyking.org
info@garyking.org
james@garyking.org
sheila@garyking.org

alexis-valdez@hotmail.com

madrid@madridforcongress.com

kbrandenburg@da2nd.state.nm.us
martinchavez@cabq.gov
mfleisher@aol.com
Dave.Contarino@state.nm.us

aoclmb@nmcourts.com

lillemor@nmia.com
lwvabc@nmia.com
clee1202@emailt.com
president@lwvlosalamos.org
lwvsfc@juno.com

Sensenbrenner@mail.house.gov
arlen_specter@specter.senate.gov

Bill Richardson
Office of the Governor
490 Old Santa Fe Trail
Room 400
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 476-2200

Dear Governor Richardson:

Purposes of this eletter and letter are to

1 file a formal complaint against Judicial Standards Commission members James C Noel, Executive Director and General Council, Randall D Roybal, Deputy Director & Chief Staff Attorney, and David S Smoak, chair

2 ask you to take immediate corrective action

3 and suggest solutions before matters become even more serious.

We paid $644 for two prima facie case 12 person jury trial lawsuits against former second judicial chief judge and convicted felon W John Brennan [http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/johnbrennan/johnbrennan.htm]and others for breach of contract which are guaranteed inviolate by New Mexico and federal constitutions.

See receipts for CV 0200107794 at http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/supremecourt/exhibitl.htm and CV 0200203425 at http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/supremecourt/exhibitk.htm.

To date we haven't gotten what we paid for, trials by jury, which is guaranteed inviolate by New Mexico and federal constitutions.

We, so far, have been cheated out of our money and our civil rights by corrupt New Mexico federal and state judicial systems.

Judge Kenneth Brown and lawyer Jerry Walz dismissed CV 0200107794 in violation of New Mexico and federal constitutions. See http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/supremecourt/exhibito.htm.

Judge Robert Scott dismissed CV 0200203425 in violation of New Mexico and federal constitutions. See http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/supremecourt/exhibitp.htm.

We see on Internet [Governor Bill Richardson Announces Appointments to Judicial Standards Commission http://www.governor.state.nm.us/press/2003/sept/090803_1.pdf] that you are responsible for the New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission.

We filed a complaint against Brown and Scott with the New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission on Brown and Scott. See http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/jsccomplaintbrownscott/jsccomplaintbrownscott.htm.

We received no response so on October 20, 2004 we wrote the entire Judicial Standards Commission the letter seen at http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/jscsettlement/jscsettlement.htm#smoke.

David S. Smoak informs us on October 25, 2004 that the Judicial Standards Commission is not going to take any action. See http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/jscsettlement/jscsettlement.htm#redact.

We complained to Roybal on November 30, 2004 that Roybal's response to our October 20, 2004 is unsatisfactory. See http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/noelletter12032004/roybalnovember302004.htm#roybal.

We then received an unsolicited CONFIDENTIAL letter from James C Noel on December 3, 2004. See http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/noelletter12032004/noelletter.htm.

We did not understand the purpose of Noel's letter so we wrote a letter of inquiry dated February 1, 2005 to Roybal who did not respond to our November 30, 2004 letter to him. See http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/roybalresponse2/roybalbossonnonresponse.htm#roybal.

We sent a certified mail copy to judge Richard Bosson.

We asked for responses to requests made in our letter by February 11, 2005.

We received no response from anyone.

Non-response to our February 1, 2005 letter when it addresses such serious issues of being denied our right to paid for our 12 person jury prima facie case breach of contract lawsuits against convicted felon former judge W John Brennan and others by Roybal, Noel, and Bosson is unacceptable lawyer behavior.

New Mexico secretary of state office employee Tricia [elected officials 505-827-3621]reported on March 1, 2005 that both you and Bosson siged required oath of office.

Reyna [appointed officials 505-827-3614] reported that David S Smoak signed oath of office but that there is no record of either James C Noel or Randall Roybal signing oath of office.

New Mexico oath of office clearly states the signer supports the United States constitution and laws of New Mexico.

Section 1. [Oath of officer.]

Every person elected or appointed to any office shall, before entering upon his duties, take and subscribe to an oath or affirmation that he will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution and laws of this state, and that he will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of his office to the best of his ability.

2 Failure of New Mexico supreme court chief judge Richard Bosson to respond to our request in our February 1, 2005 letter [see http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/roybalresponse2/roybalbossonnonresponse.htm#bossonresponse]

3 Receipt of an unsolicited CONFIDENTIAL apparent threat letter from Noel [see http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/noelletter12032004/noelletter.htm.

4 Notification by Judicial Standards Commission chair David S. Smoak that no action was going to be taken against judges Brown and Scott who dismissed our paid for 12 person jury trial prima facie case lawsuits against crooked New Mexico judge Brennan et al in violation of New Mexico state law [see http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/jscsettlement/jscsettlement.htm#redact.]

5 Failure of David S. Smoak to take action at New Mexico supreme court to see that CV 0200107794 and CV 0200203425 were not scheduled for settlement or trial by 12 person jury as required by his signed oath of office.

indicates to us that some members of Judicial Standards Commission are corrupt, trying to protect crooked judge Brennan, and have conspired to deny us our two paid for 12 person jury trial prima face case lawsuits against Brennan et al or settlement.

You stated on Tuesday February 15, 2005

"The judicial branch has got to have accountability and responsibility, and it keeps happening."

"How can the public trust the judicial branch …."

See http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/fitch/fitch.htm#richardson.

We think the answer to to your question "How can the public trust the judicial branch …." is to ensure that Judicial Standards Commission members "will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution and laws of this state, and that he will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of his office to the best of his ability." which they have sworn to do.

We feel that much of the problem with the judicial branch results from appointing Judicial Standards Commission members who try to protect the judges rather than fulfill their oath of office.

So the basic reason for problems in the New Mexico judicial branch now appears to stem from and under the jurisdiction of the office of the governor of New Mexico..

Therefore Governor, it is only logical and the right thing to do is for you to help clear up these matters because they will only get worse with time and inaction.

We feel that James C Noel should be terminated from his position for writing us his apparent threatening unsolicited CONFIDENTIAL December 3, 2004. See http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/noelletter12032004/noelletter.htm.

We feel that Roybal should be terminated from the Judicial Standards Commission for not having responded to our February 1, 2005 letter to him. See http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/roybalresponse2/roybalbossonnonresponse.htm#roybal.

David S Smoak must be removed from the Judicial Standards Commission for violating his oath of office for not seeing that judges Brown and Scott's dismissal of 12 person jury trial prima facie case New Mexico lawsuits CV 0200107794 and CV 0200203425 are unconstitutional.

It is Smoak's sworn duty to see that we get our two paid for 12 person jury trial lawsuits.

We ask that you appoint replacements for Smoak, Noel, and Roybal and you give these replacement pointed instruction "to support the constitution of the United States and the constitution and laws of this state."

And establish the credibility of New Mexico state judicial system.

We ask that you reason with these three replacements with the specific issue to advise judge Bosson that he is in technical violation of his oath of office for not sua sponte voiding Brown's and Scott's rulings and then appointing a judge to either settle or schedule paid for trial by jury to attempt to bring crooked judge W John Brennan et al to justice.

You rightly referred Dr Payne's 1994 request for assistance [see http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/richardsonletter/richardson1994.htm#billletter ] to Congressman Schiff. However, these matters are still unsettled and getting worse. .

Therefore, we feel you now have authority to assist us with your renowned settlement negotiation skills.

Judge Brennan et al could suffer much unnecessary stress and they could stand to lose much money if they lose New Mexico lawsuits CV 0200107794 and CV 0200203425.

We ask that you use your renowned negotation skills to have our August 22, 2004 8:40 AM settlement proposal accepted before matters get worse.. See http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/charltonletter.htm

Please inform us of your decision by Friday March 18, 2005.

Sincerely

Arthur R. Morales
465 Washington St SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
505-323-7277

William H. Payne
13015 Calle de Sandias NE
Albuquerque, NM 87111
505-292-7037

Richardson has been aware of these problems since 1994 and didn't do anything to resolve them presumably hoping the corrupt state and legal systems would solve the problem.

Governor Richardson served for 15 years as New Mexico's U.S. Representative in the 3rd Congressional District. Governor Richardson served in 1997 as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and in 1998, he was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy. Governor Richardson was nominated several times for the Nobel Peace Prize.

"Last year, while insurance companies. were crying loudly to Congress about the need for tort reform, they were quietly counting billions of dollars and whispering a whopping 320 percent profit increase over the previous year," he wrote in one editorial. "... They aren't going broke, they're going straight to hell."

He also wrote, "The position the industry takes nationwide when it argues for 'tort reform' (is) 'We're going to go bankrupt if we have to pay these crazy jury awards.' Wah wah wah."

In another piece, he excoriated the State Bar for publishbig an opinionated letter that decried personal injury cases as examples of "us(ing) tort law to reward people for bad judgment."

Campbell wrote that he was proud of his work on behalf of injured people.

"... In every single one of our cases, the plaintiff, the client, the human being, has been disadvantaged,~ disenfranchised, downtroden, hurt or killed," he wrote.

Paul Houston, New Mexico Defense Lawyers president, said the editorials raised some hackles as well as eyebrows.

"They certainly are acrimonious and highly inflammatory, but you consider the audience he was writing to as well. And the audience is other trial attorneys," he said.

Houston said he objected to an editorial where Campbell tagged the insurance industry as "the defrauder." And he takes issue with the idea that all plaintiffs' cases involve disenfranchised victims.

"That's just not the case," he said. "Every defense attorney that's been practicing for five or more years would have a dozen or more cases are consider totally meritless.

That said, even Houston doesn't believe it will be a significant long-term problem.

"We know that in every instance a judge is going to come into the job with some... I'll call it baggage," he said.

"It's not necessarily bad baggage, but life experiences."

The real measure, he said, "is that judge's decisions and the way that judge handles himself or herself over time."

Concerns understood

Campbell says he understands there's a difference between being an advocate and a judge - and the editorials were written as an advocate.

The defrauder comment, he said, was made in regard to the national debate over what business interests call "tort reform" and the plaintiffs' bar calls "wrongdoers-don't-pay" legislation.

"Where I am no-apologies, no-pretensions being an advocate for the injured, I can understand how that would concern insurance defense lawyers who don't know me," he said. "The best evidence of how I will be on the bench might be how I practice law. And I think virtually all of my opponents would say I'm a straight shooter and I'm fair."

Campbell has a range of experience. He worked six months as an oil field rough-neck and saved enough to pay for college. He spent four years handling commercial transactions at a Richmond, Va., law firm after graduating from William and Mary Law School with honors. His cases over the last decade frequently involved industrial accidents where workers were severely injured or killed on the job.

Job Is to be fair

Andy Schultz, managing partner at the Rodey law firm and a member of the selection commission that recommended Campbell, asked during Campbell's interview how he would offset "the collective groan from the insurance bar" whenever a plaintiff's lawyer is named to the bench.

Campbell's response: His job as judge is to be fair.

Campbell refuses to say categorically that he will not hear a case involving an insurance defendant, though he said he would recuse himself if there were particular facts that caused him concern or the appearance of impropriety.

"I wouldn't think that the fact that I've written these editorials would cause me to recuse from every insurance case," he said.

Schultz said sometimes the defense bar's groan is well- founded and sometimes it's short-lived.

With York, for instance, who came to the bench from a similar background, it took a year before partners at his defense- oriented firm started to encourage clients to keep York on their cases.

State law permits each party in a lawsuit to disqualify a judge without giving a reason within the first 10 days.

Chief District Judge William Lang says whenever a new judge comes in, there's spike in disqualifications which may or may not have to do with perceptions of impartiality.

Of the editorials, Lang said: "It blows over if he does the job well. The proof is in what he does here, not what he said a year ago.

Albuquerque Journal Wednesday March 2, 2005
Psst ... Scott Sandlin is a woman.

By CLARA GARCIA
Valencia County News-Bulletin

An Albuquerque man convicted of selling cocaine said he sold the drug to high-profile people, including judges and lawyers, in the Duke City, according to a Drug Enforcement Administration agent.

The undercover agent gave the testimony Thursday during the sentencing of Arturo Ulibarri, owner of Tudy's International Hair Design, and Joseph Anthony Baca III, a Los Lunas businessman.

U.S. District Judge William "Chip" Johnson sentenced the two men to nearly nine years in prison. Both men pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute less than 500 grams of cocaine, possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and aiding and abetting.

Baca and Ulibarri were arrested in July on charges they sold large amounts of cocaine to the undercover agent.

The agent testified Thursday about a conversation he had with Ulibarri.

"He (Ulibarri) said he sold to high- profile people in Albuquerque like judges and lawyers," the agent testified. "Mr. Ulibarri told me he chose high-profile people because they had a lot to lose."

The agent also testified that Ulibarri told him former Bernalillo County Chief District Judge W. John Brennan's girlfriend had been a client, but he "had to cut her off."

The agent said the conversation was recorded.

When questioned by Ulibarri's attorney, Jerry Walz, the agent admitted he never uncovered any evidence that Ulibarri had ever met with Brennan or the unnamed girlfriend.

Last May, Brennan was charged With possession of cocaine after he was arrested for drunken driving in Albuquerque. The arrest ended Brennan's 25-year career on the bench when he resigned in June. In September, he pleaded guilty to drunken driving and drug charges and was sentenced to a year of probation and two days of house arrest.

Authorities started to investigate Ulibarri in June after a confidential source came forward. The agent bought about 140 grams of cocaine for nearly $4,000 during two buys from Ulibarri, court records show, and paid $8,000 for six ounces of cocaine during a third meeting at which Baca was also present.

Albuquerque Journal Saturday February 26, 2005