Former children's home director indicted on 28 counts of fraud

The former director of the New Mexico Baptist Children's Home on Friday was indicted on 28 counts of fraud.

District Attorney Quentin Ray said David Randall Rankin, 71, was also indicted by a Roosevelt County grand jury on one count of forgery and one count of disposing of stolen property that occurred between 2018 and 2021.

The charges stem from Rankin and Jose Lopez, a local contractor, fraudulently using the charity's accounts and large construction projects to pay for personal home renovations, Ray alleged in a news release.

Lopez is charged with 30 counts of fraud, three counts of attempted tax evasion and, and one count of acting as a contractor without a license.

Both cases are being prosecuted by Special Prosecutor Andrea Reeb and Assistant District Attorney Anthony Jaimes.

Eric Dixon of Portales, Rankin's attorney, said earlier this month the charges against his client are "nonsense."

"They're 100% false," Dixon said. "... He plans to plead not guilty, because he's not guilty of any of this."

Online court records show both Rankin and Lopez were booked into the Roosevelt County jail and released.

Lopez' attorney, Dan Lindsey of Clovis, declined comment.

Both men are due back in court next month.