ENMU rodeo coach charged with embezzlement

Eastern New Mexico University rodeo coach Albert Flinn has been placed on administrative leave following criminal allegations of embezzlement and animal cruelty filed against him in Roosevelt County Magistrate Court.

An affidavit for issuance of criminal summons was filed Nov. 4 in the court, charging Flinn, 83, with two counts of embezzlement (under $20,000) and one count of cruelty to animals.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether Flinn had turned himself into the court. The coach could not immediately be reached for comment.

District Attorney Quentin Ray said Flinn is scheduled to be arraigned on Nov. 22. He faces up to seven years in prison and a $16,000 fine if convicted on all charges, Ray said.

ENMU spokesperson John Houser said ENMU has cooperated in the investigation. “Coach Flinn has been placed on administrative leave as is standard in these circumstances. As this is an ongoing personnel matter, we are not able to comment further,” Houser said. He declined to say whether Flinn is being paid while on leave.

Joe Flinn, Albert's brother, told The News in an email on Friday night that "Albert has done nothing but good for that school since he enrolled as a freshman the fall of 1964. ... He wouldn't steal a dollar if he needed to buy food for a meal."

ENMU Police Chief Bradley Mauldin investigated the case.

Most of the embezzlement allegations against Flinn involve university property found on Flinn’s personal property. Flinn maintained in the 24-page court document that he was storing university property in some cases because the university did not have space. Other ENMU property in his possession was going to be thrown away, Flinn stated in the court record.

Records also allege Flinn was receiving cash from a recycler that should have gone to the university.

The animal cruelty charges stem from reports of dozens of dead calves and goats that were allegedly not properly cared for.

Assistant rodeo coach Beau Dean told Mauldin that Flinn would “put the responsibility of taking care of the calves on the students and that was his (Coach Albert Flinn’s) responsibility as head coach. Beau Dean stated that he believed they lost approximately (20 to 30) calves last fall. Beau Dean stated that this year, they have probably lost only one because he (Beau Dean) was taking care of them,” the court document shows.

“Beau Dean stated the livestock were not getting vaccinated and there were issues with their feed … Beau Dean stated that this was the same issue with the goats.”

Incidents alleged in the court record occurred between July 1 and Oct. 16 this year.

Flinn has been ENMU’s head rodeo coach for 18 seasons. He was a member of the university’s rodeo team as a student in the 1960s.

The ENMU website states “Flinn has mentored 26 National Collegiate Rodeo Qualifiers during his time at Eastern New Mexico, six of which went on to claim individual National Championships in their respective events, and one of which claimed the Reserve All-Around Championship.”

The Roswell native took over the ENMU rodeo program after a 34-year career in the banking industry, the ENMU website states.