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LAS CRUCES 鈥� In a stunning broadside during Tuesday鈥檚 meeting of the Do帽a Ana County Commission, Undersheriff Robert Parra called for the firing of County Manager Scott Andrews and Deputy County Attorney Cari Neill.

Neill, as it happens, is already on her way out, having resigned quietly late last month. Her last day is Friday.

Then, on Wednesday, a private firm that conducts internal affairs investigations accused Sheriff Kim Stewart and Parra of interference and intimidation serious enough that an investigator filed a complaint with the state Department of Justice.

Parra, a former county compliance officer with a law enforcement background whom Stewart appointed in February 2025, took the podium during time allotted for county staff input Tuesday.

As commissioners listened silently, Parra accused senior legal staff and the county manager鈥檚 office of retaliation against employees who cooperated with a recently released special audit that probed management and governmental failures across county departments and operations.

He also alleged that the county had conducted a 鈥渨itch hunt鈥� against Stewart, including but not limited to the writ of mandamus the county filed in district court in 2025 during a dispute with Stewart over the hiring of cadets recently graduated from the Law Enforcement Academy. Part of that dispute involved a long-running conflict between Stewart and the county鈥檚 human resources department regarding Stewart's authority to make personnel decisions involving deputies.

Parra alleged that an unnamed paralegal at the county was placed on administrative leave for two months after being interviewed for five hours in connection with the special audit.

鈥淪he was on administrative leave for two months, prohibiting her to continue working with me and the state auditors,鈥� Parra said.

Additionally, Parra said an administrative captain in the sheriff鈥檚 office had been on administrative leave for nine months in an investigation he said had exceeded its original scope. He said independent investigators Border Blue Protective and Investigative Services, an El Paso-based firm, had been encouraged by the county to file complaints about Stewart or Parra with the state Department of Justice.

Parra further alleged that the county had conducted an improper meeting with Andrews, an unnamed commissioner and a contract attorney with regard to employees who were under investigation. During his time as a compliance officer, Parra claimed multiple employees had been denied their right to a fair hearing regarding disciplinary actions the county had taken.

鈥淲e have to remove the cancer,鈥� Parra said as he wound up his presentation. 鈥淚 call for the termination of Scott Andrews and 鈥� Cari Neill, effective immediately, on account of injustices, improprieties, and continued discrimination and favoritism 鈥� otherwise we won鈥檛 be able to move forward.鈥�

Commission Chairman Manny Sanchez declined to comment on Parra鈥檚 remarks following the meeting, as they addressed a pending personnel matter, while noting that the undersheriff himself had commented publicly before an investigation was complete.

Alleged interference in IA probe

Border Blue refuted Parra鈥檚 account and said, in a statement for the Journal, 鈥淲e do not receive direction or any influence in how to operate and/or the outcome of our investigations by either Do帽a Ana Legal Department and/or the County Attorney.鈥�

In fact, Border Blue owner and private investigator Brigitte Ballou stated that back in February, Stewart contacted the lead investigator in an independent internal affairs inquiry involving a sheriff鈥檚 office employee, which the firm conducted under contract with the county. 

鈥淪heriff Stewart, acting under her authority as Sheriff, demanded a copy of the investigation and details,鈥� Ballou wrote. 鈥淭he investigator declined to provide the report/details, as he did not believe she was authorized to receive it. During that conversation, the investigator perceived statements made by Sheriff Stewart as intimidating in nature.鈥�

Allegedly, Stewart eventually obtained the report, after which Ballou said her team 鈥渞eceived telephone communications from Undersheriff Robert Parra that were perceived as attempts to interfere with the investigation process.鈥�

At that point, Ballou said the assigned investigator independently chose to report Stewart and Parra鈥檚 actions to the state Department of Justice, with no instruction from the county or Border Blue. The firm subsequently learned the investigator had filed a complaint and informed the county legal department, Ballou said. 

Stewart, stating she was out of state at a conference, backed her undersheriff, writing to the Journal, 鈥淗e spoke of real problems in county management that are not going to be taken care of with a few pen strokes by fast-talking managers. I have been subject to a hostile work environment since day one of my first administration and the audit clearly documented that beginning.鈥�

Stewart said the situation had also undermined the public鈥檚 trust in the sheriff鈥檚 office.

Stewart acknowledged calling Border Blue and eventually receiving their report. 鈥淚 don't recall threatening (the investigator) with anything 鈥� not really my thing,鈥� she wrote, and added, 鈥淚 have no idea why I couldn't have that report. 鈥� I have literally tens of emails asking (Cari Neill) or Scott (Andrews), or both, for an update on this 鈥榠nvestigation鈥� starting about 8 months ago. (I) don't know what to think about this anymore.鈥�

Parra told the Journal he contacted Border Blue to confirm whether the investigation was complete and 鈥渁scertain why the private investigator had deviated from the internal investigation鈥� and filed a state complaint against Stewart and him. Parra said the investigation was completed in December 2025, 鈥測et the Legal Department continued to deceptively inform (the sheriff鈥檚 office) that the investigation was not completed.鈥�

Deputy county attorney resigns

Neill submitted her resignation in a letter dated May 27, obtained by a public records request, in which she declares this Friday as her last day. Neill鈥檚 resignation was by independent journalist Heath Haussamen.

A May 29 email Neill wrote to Andrews alludes to a breakdown in communication between two of the county鈥檚 top officials. Neill wrote, 鈥淵ou have hardly spoken to me for the last several months,鈥� and continued, 鈥淭he lack of communication began last fall, but has intensified over the last several months.鈥�

She added that Andrews had 鈥渘o idea what is going on in the legal department鈥� and said 鈥渢he only reason for me to stay is to ensure my team is protected. And now you have threatened to put most of them under another supervisor who has no legal experience.鈥�

Neill was present at Tuesday鈥檚 meeting but did not respond to Parra's presentation, and she rejected his account of events Tuesday night.

"I chose to take the high road during the meeting and not respond," Neill emailed the Journal. "We all deserve better than to have someone in a position of power lie about who we are and the things we do."

Algernon 顿鈥橝尘尘补蝉蝉补 is the Journal鈥檚 southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.