A fourth employee of the city’s Transportation Department has been charged in an investigation that began from an anonymous tip last August.
Jeffrey E. Honeycutt, 49, a supervisor for the city’s Transportation Department, is charged with 13 counts of soliciting or receiving illegal kickbacks and 13 counts of conspiracy. The charges are fourth degree felonies and center on fabricated callouts, and kickbacks from overtime paid for those callouts.
In March Robert M. Guillen, 40, was charged with 10 counts of forgery and 10 counts of conspiracy. Robert “Bob” Medina Jr., 43, and Jesus “Chuy” Vasquez, 31, were both charged in February with two counts of forgery and two counts of conspiracy. Medina also faces two counts of embezzlement while Vasquez faces one such count.
Guillen is suspected of completing documentation that misrepresented the number of hours worked, and thus collecting overtime pay for work that was not done. Detectives have reason to believe that Guillen was kicking-back a portion of his overtime earnings to Honeycutt, who is suspected of authorizing many of the fabricated overtime callouts.
Medina and Vasquez were arrested in February after detectives determined they, along with another city employee, built a concrete patio at Medina’s residence. The cement poured for the patio was billed to the City and the employees completed the project while on duty with the City.
Medina and Vasquez were both arrested on Feb. 20 while Guillen was arrested March 21.
Honeycutt was arrested Friday, April 11, and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center with bond set at $20,000.