Former CYFD investigator charged with giving cannabis to teens reaches plea deal

Sep. 17—A former investigator with the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department accused of letting runaway youth in foster care stay at his home, and providing them with cannabis and nicotine products, reached a plea deal Tuesday with Bernalillo County prosecutors.

Pedro Martinez, 32, originally faced two counts each of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and custodial interference, all of which are fourth-degree felonies, according to court records. He pleaded guilty to one of each charge.

News station KRQE-TV reported Martinez faces two years of supervised probation. Attorneys in the case could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.

CYFD has said Martinez was no longer employed by the department but declined to give details on when he left.

A fellow CYFD employee reported concerns about Martinez after finding contact information for at least four foster youth on an Apple Watch left near Martinez's cubicle, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

She told New Mexico State Police that Martinez had been given a letter of reprimand for communicating with youth using personal social media accounts, and there were concerns he was still engaging in the practice.

Police went to his home in Albuquerque, where a neighbor reported seeing Martinez with a teenage boy recently. When police returned and spoke to Martinez, the affidavit states, he told them two teenagers — ages 15 and 17 — had stayed with him at one point but hadn't been to his home recently.

When interviewed by authorities, the 15-year-old said he had stayed with Martinez for about three months, while the 17-year-old stayed for about a week and at least two other youths had stayed with Martinez.

The 15-year-old and the 17-year-old, who are brothers, also told police Martinez had provided cannabis to them, according to the affidavit. The older brother noted Martinez had done nothing else that was inappropriate.

Esteban Candelaria is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. He covers child welfare and the state Children, Youth and Families Department. Learn more about Report for America at reportforamerica.org.