New Rio Arriba Sheriff Lorenzo Aguilar Works to Rebuild Trust After Scandals
Just over a month into his term, Rio Arriba County Sheriff Lorenzo Aguilar faces the challenge of restoring trust in an office marred by scandal.
The northern New Mexico county of about 40,000 residents has seen its last three sheriffs depart under controversy. In 2015, Tommy Rodella was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for unlawfully arresting a driver while off duty and using a firearm. In 2021, James Lujan received a three-year prison sentence for aiding a felon and intimidating a witness after a 2017 SWAT standoff. Most recently, in April 2025, Billy Merrifield was found dead in his patrol car from a lethal mix of cocaine, fentanyl, and alcohol.
Aguilar, a 15-year veteran of the department, says repairing the office’s reputation is his top priority.
“I’ve seen the distrust. I’ve seen the things that damaged this office,” Aguilar said.
For Aguilar, the job is personal. “It’s where I grew up. It’s where my family is,” he said. “As a kid, watching the sheriff’s units in the parade is what I always wanted to do.”