New Mexico Officer Arrested On Drug Charges

BELEN, N.M. --

An undercover sting has nabbed a correctional officer.

It happened Tuesday afternoon in a Belen parking lot.

22-year-old Jeremy Redbear, who has been a correctional officer with the Metropolitan Detention Center for seven months, was arrested.

According to Belen police, Redbear agreed to meet a man, pick up some heroin, and deliver it to an inmate at his place of work, all for $1000.

What Redbear probably did not expect Tuesday afternoon was officers and undercover agents swooping in.

MDC's chief Ron Torres said they fired Redbear after the arrest.

"We have 346 corrections officers and another 100 supervisors, so when one individual chooses to behave this way the rest of us feel terrible that someone in our ranks would do something to place us in that kind of danger," Torres said.

Chief Torres said when Redbear was hired he passed all background checks, and did not have a criminal history.

Redbear is now being held in Valencia County's jail accused of drug trafficking.