Patrick Ethridge, the Albuquerque Journal’s top editor, is set to be released Saturday after serving a 10-day sentence in the Sandoval County Detention Center, according to court documents.
Ethridge pleaded guilty to misdemeanor shoplifting on Sept. 25, court documents show.
The Journal announced Sept. 27 that the 47-year-old Ethridge had been placed on “a mandatory leave of absence.”
According to an incident report from the Rio Rancho Police Department, two officers responded Aug. 24 to a shoplifting call from Walmart staff. The police report said two young boys were “reportedly acting disorderly around the store, knocking over displays and concealing items.” Police said they identified the boys as Ethridge’s sons.
According to court documents, the boys were seen each taking an energy drink off the shelf, drinking it, then placing it back on the shelf. The boys “were not in possession of any merchandise” when approached by police, but surveillance footage showed Ethridge “skip scanning items” while in the self-checkout, according to court documents.
The report said Ethridge would “scan some items but not others, leaving several items unpaid for.” The total amount of merchandise that was not paid for, including the energy drinks, was $104.20, according to police.
All three were also issued a criminal trespass notice/order not to return, RRPD documents show.
Ethridge was issued a criminal summons on Aug. 27 and appeared in Rio Rancho Municipal Court Sept. 25, where he entered a guilty plea. As part of the plea, Ethridge was sentenced to serve 90 days in the detention center, with 80 days suspended. Ethridge was not represented by an attorney when he appeared in court, documents show.
However, a day later, Todd Bullion entered an appearance and filed a motion acting as Ethridge’s attorney to withdraw the guilty plea and release Ethridge from custody.
According to the motion, Ethridge rang up “approximately $300 of groceries” in the self-checkout line, but became distracted by his sons, who had been approached by a police officer.
“Dismayed and concerned that his children were in trouble, Mr. Ethridge left the self-checkout line and went to his children,” the motion reads. “Following interaction with law enforcement, Mr. Ethridge paid for his groceries and left the store.”
According to the motion, Ethridge was then informed that he had not scanned or paid for all of his items. He said he did not know that some items were not scanned and asked to pay for them. “The store refused and pressed charges of shoplifting.”
The motion said that Ethridge, “wanting to get this case over with as expeditiously as possible,” pleaded guilty. According to the motion, “Ethridge did this in spite of the fact that he did not intentionally steal any items from the store.”
The motion was denied by a judge the same day it was filed.
Ethridge is scheduled to be released Oct. 5. but he has a hearing scheduled Thursday morning.
Check back for updates on the story.