Livestock auction managers indicted on 139 charges

A Roosevelt County grand jury has indicted the managers of High Plains Livestock Auction on charges of forgery, fraud, conspiracy and racketeering, according to a news release from the Ninth Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

Calvin Pareo, 50, and Darcie Pareo, 41, of Portales could face up to life in prison on 139 criminal charges, which occurred while they were working at High Plains Livestock Auction, prosecutors said.

The charges are as follows:

• 20 counts of fraud (over $20,000), a second-degree felony

• Conspiracy to commit fraud (over $20,000), a third-degree felony

• 116 counts of forgery ($2,500 or less), a third-degree felony

• Racketeering, a second-degree felony

• Conspiracy to commit racketeering, a third-degree felony

Calvin and Darcie Pareo could not be reached for comment.

Albuquerque Defense Attorney Peter Domenici said Monday in an email statement “the Pareos are innocent of any wrong-doing, and they look forward to vigorously pursuing their rights through the court system.”

On Jan. 21, the state livestock board, district attorney’s office, state police, and Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at High Plains where an investigation revealed a fraudulent scheme in which Calvin Pareo would purchase cattle at the auction, then, after the auction was completed, have Darcie Pareo change the prices, prosecutors allege.

The release said investigators estimated that over 13,000 sales tickets had been altered and over $2 million had been fraudulently deprived of dairy owners and buyers in Texas and New Mexico.

“Due to the volume and breadth of the fraudulent activity, the inspectors only focused on 20 random sales throughout the past year and over $20,000 was altered at each sale,” the release said. “At one sale, the amount was over $60,000 ... documents suggest years of fraudulent activity by the Pareos.”

Darcie Pareo was arrested and released on a $10,000 appearance bond in February on numerous counts of violation of livestock auction markets regulations.

Those charges were dismissed in July.

“She (Darcie) was charged with several counts on scene and arrested,” District Attorney Andrea Reeb said in explaining the dismissed charges. “We had so much information to get together, we dismissed the few charges and waited until we had more compiled before indicting charges. We wanted to get it all together and present it all at once.”

Prosecuting Attorney Quentin Ray said the state will immediately seek an arrest warrant for Calvin and Darcie Pareo.

Reeb said Monday that an arraignment will happen within 10 days, and a trial date will be set at that time.

High Plains Owner Michael Flen, who was charged with several counts of violation of livestock auction markets regulations, was acquitted of his charges in September, according to nmcourts.com.

“Michael Flen was charged with operating an auction without a current license, because his license had expired,” Ray said, adding that the jury found him not guilty.