The former embattled Española city manager James Lujan pleaded guilty to eight felony counts of conspiracy to commit fraud and a single count of demanding or receiving a bribe Aug. 27 in district court.
The plea agreement Lujan entered caps the maximum prison time he could face to six years, although the deal has the district attorney’s office asking for a maximum penalty of less than a year, which would land Lujan in jail instead of in prison.
Lujan could not be reached for comment.
Lujan was the public works director for Santa Fe County. In the spring of 2010, Santa Fe County fired Lujan after the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office named him as a suspect in a bribery and fraud investigation, according to a past article in the Rio Grande SUN.
After Lujan was fired from Santa Fe County, Española Mayor Alice Lucero fought to bring him on as the city’s manager.
At the time of Lujan’s hiring in 2010, Lucero told the SUN that the investigation and Lujan’s qualifications as a city manager were mutually exclusive.
“His other issues are separate from the city,” Lucero said. “As far as the city is concerned we’re going to move forward and he’s going to help us do that.”
Even when Lujan was indicted and fired in 2012, Lucero called him “one of the best city managers we’ve ever had” and expressed disappointment with his departure.
“James Lujan did an excellent job,” Lucero said at the time. “He worked diligently and very effectively and with the staff. A lot of people will miss him.”
Lucero declined to comment on Lujan’s plea agreement.
Lujan came to work at the city in June 2010 at a pay rate of $90,000 a year. He was voted out by the city council in a 5-3 vote. Joe Duran replaced Lujan as an interim manager.
As part of the plea agreement, Lujan will testify against his alleged co-conspirators, District Attorney Angela Pacheco said.
His co-conspirators are Joseph Anthony Montoya, and Marlene Montoya, owners of Advantage Asphalt and Seal Coating and former Santa Fe County employee Denice Sanchez, according to online court records.