Former UNM President F. Chris Garcia went before Metropolitan Court Judge Sharon Walton June 24 for a felony first appearance on the charges of promoting prostitution, conspiracy and evidence tampering related to an online prostitution ring know as Southwest Companions.
Codefendants in the investigation, Douglas Plummer and Brian Dorsey, also made court appearances. Garcia appeared with attorney David Serna, a prominent Albuquerque DUI lawyer.
Walton ruled all three defendants’ bonds would be continued at the $35,000 cash or surety bond they each posted last night, and forbade them from leaving the state without permission from the court or using the Internet.
Garcia refused to comment, but Serna said the public shouldn’t believe everything it hears.
“We have lots of work to do,” Serna said. “I would encourage the public to view with scrutiny and with suspicion and skepticism what’s been put out so far by the informants and the police department.”
