Former Deputy Plans Lawsuit After Sheriff's Misconduct Report

Dispute over alleged bunny incident leads to claims of retaliation against whistleblower

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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A former Grant County sheriff's deputy, Marcus Salas, disputes allegations that he did not report an incident involving the death of a bunny to an internal investigator. Salas' attorney says legal action is planned against the department, claiming the sheriff's actions are retaliation for Salas reporting misconduct by another deputy, Alejandro Gomez.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing tensions between law enforcement officers and departments, with allegations of misconduct, retaliation, and the impact on officers' careers. It raises questions about transparency, accountability, and the proper channels for reporting and investigating potential wrongdoing within police departments.

The details

Salas reported that during a patrol in August 2024, Gomez threw a baby bunny against a patrol vehicle, causing it serious injury. Salas also alleged that Gomez pointed his duty weapon and stun gun at Salas during that incident and another in the sheriff's office. Charges against Gomez were later dismissed for lack of evidence, but he was fired along with three other deputies after the preliminary hearing. Salas claims he reported the rabbit incident to the internal investigator, but was later told to delete the video evidence. The sheriff disputes this, saying Salas only disclosed the incident after the internal investigation was completed.

  • On August 15, 2024, the alleged bunny incident occurred during a patrol under the Operation Stonegarden federal grant.
  • On August 5, 2024, Gomez allegedly pointed his weapon and stun gun at Salas while they were on overnight duty.
  • In August, charges against Gomez were dismissed for lack of evidence at a preliminary hearing.
  • In December, the Law Enforcement Certification Board last met to review misconduct reports.
  • On February 3, 2026, the sheriff reported the four former deputies for misconduct to the state's Law Enforcement Certification Board.

The players

Marcus Salas

A former Grant County sheriff's deputy who disputes allegations that he did not report an incident involving the death of a bunny to an internal investigator.

Alejandro Gomez

A former Grant County sheriff's deputy who was accused of throwing a baby bunny against a patrol vehicle and pointing his duty weapon and stun gun at Salas.

Raul Villanueva

The Grant County Sheriff who reported four former deputies, including Salas and Gomez, for misconduct to the state's Law Enforcement Certification Board.

Adam Flores

A civil rights attorney in Albuquerque representing Salas, who plans to sue the department for retaliation.

Anthony Bencomo

The Undersheriff of Grant County who met with Salas and told him to delete the video of the bunny incident.

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What they’re saying

“This is the most blatant retaliation that I've ever seen, and we've done a lot of these cases. I've never seen anything like this.”

— Adam Flores, Civil Rights Attorney

“When he first spoke to Capt. Gallegos about the gun pointing, he never said anything about the rabbit incident, so when our internal was first initiated, we knew nothing about the rabbit incident.”

— Raul Villanueva, Grant County Sheriff (scdailypress.com)

“During the internal investigation, I directly disclosed the rabbit incident to the assigned internal investigator. On the same day as my internal interview, I sent a video of the rabbit incident directly to the investigator's personal cell phone.”

— Marcus Salas, Former Deputy (scdailypress.com)

What’s next

The Law Enforcement Certification Board will review the misconduct reports against the four former deputies and decide whether to suspend or revoke their law enforcement certifications.

The takeaway

This case highlights the complex dynamics between law enforcement officers, departments, and oversight bodies, with allegations of misconduct, retaliation, and the impact on officers' careers. It underscores the need for transparent and fair investigation processes, as well as clear channels for reporting wrongdoing within police departments.