Former ENMU student gets jail time

COPS AND COURTS

District Judge Joe Parker on Friday sentenced a former Eastern New Mexico University student to 19 months in the state Department of Corrections for violating probation, according to a press release from the district attorney’s office.

Tiffany Rodgers, 21, was originally ordered to serve six months in jail before being released to serve 2 1/2 years on probation, the press release said, in connection with the February 2002 death of Portales teenager Matthew Foley.

A report of probation violation was filed in September after more than 28 grams of methamphetamine and a firearm were found in Rodgers’ vehicle, the press release said.

Her probation stems from her guilty plea to leaving the scene of an accident that left Foley dead.

In announcing his sentence, Parker said the June 2003 sentence by District Judge Robert Brack had been a hopeful sentence and that Rodgers had not taken advantage of the situation granted her by the court, according to the press release.

Rodgers was incarcerated in the Roosevelt County Detention Center on Friday and was awaiting transport to the state penitentiary.

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Deputy District Attorney Brian McKay’s last day in the 9th Judicial District Attorney’s office was Friday.

McKay worked six years in the district attorney’s office in Clovis and is hoping to get transferred to the district attorney’s office in Albuquerque.

McKay said he decided to leave the Clovis office because of the change in leadership: Incoming District Attorney Matt Chandler takes over for outgoing prosecutor Brett Carter, who will take over in November as the chief of the public defender’s office.

“Out of all the attorneys in our office (McKay) had the most jury trials,” Carter said. “He was a tremendous asset to the office.”

Carter said he expects McKay to get a job in the Albuquerque district attorney’s office, where he will likely prosecute gang-related crimes.

Chandler, who defeated Carter in the June primary, is expected to begin work as district attorney on Nov. 15.

Cops and Courts was compiled by CNJ News Editor Mike Linn. He can be contacted at 763-6991 or:

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