A Santa Teresa company owner who was paid more than $27,000 for two sets of playground equipment to be installed in Mesilla never delivered on the contract, and is now facing second-degree felony fraud charges.
Ernesto Alex Cordova, 40, was reportedly paid by the Town of Mesilla for two playground systems that his company was contracted to install. According to court documents, the check, written in the amount of $27,800, was issued on Nov. 3, 2015, and was cashed on Nov. 6.
Contact was made with PD Play, a company that was included in Cordova’s contract with the Town of Mesilla as the supplier of the playground equipment. Officials with PD Play said the playground systems were never purchased by Cordova.
During the investigation, a sheriff’s detective learned that Mesilla’s repeated attempts to contact Cordova were futile. The detective also learned that Cordova and his company are the focus of a separate embezzlement investigation being conducted by the City of Sunland Park.
Last week, a sheriff’s detective filed a criminal complaint against Cordova, charging him with second-degree felony fraud.
Anyone with information on Cordova’s whereabouts is asked to call (575) 525-8814.
Information from Dona Ana County