Deputy accused of thefts

An investigation into a deputy’s missing duty weapon has led to theft charges, other criminal allegations and the loss of the deputy’s job at the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office.

Chris McCasland, 34, was arrested twice last week, accused of stealing a snowmobile and other items when he was a police officer in Angel Fire about six years ago. McCasland has ties to Tucumcari.

McCasland’s attorney said he’s innocent of all the charges and allegations, that this is all the result of a custody dispute with his former wife involving their two children.

McCasland was arrested Wednesday on stolen property charges after police found stolen items in his Portales home, court records show.

On Thursday, charges of burglary and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle were also filed, both arrests in connection with his time in Angel Fire.

In addition, Roosevelt County Sheriff Malin Parker on Wednesday issued a news release in which Parker named McCasland as a suspect in the theft of more than $8,000 from the sheriff’s evidence room. The $8,254 was reported missing in January 2019.

McCasland has not been charged in connection with the missing cash or the missing gun.

McCasland’s attorney said all the allegations are “totally bogus charges instigated by his ex wife in a custody dispute.”

“They come from allegations that are 6 years old,” Attorney Dan Lindsey wrote in a series of text messages. “We look forward to exoneration at trial.”

Kendra Gossett, who divorced McCasland last summer, said she has no interest in altering a joint child custody agreement approved at the time of her divorce from McCasland.

“We are both working to shield our children from this,” she said in a telephone interview Saturday.

“He is with them now. It’s legally his time to be with them this summer. I’m not doing anything to (alter the custody agreement),” she said.

Gossett said she became involved in the investigation against her ex-husband when police began questioning her about a missing gun.

“I was questioned about the gun, it was his duty weapon, which then led to other questioning,” Gossett said.

“My understanding is that Chris told (police) I stole (the gun) from him. The last time I saw the gun was two years ago.”

During the interview with state police, Gossett said she began confessing to thefts from Angel Fire she said she was forced to participate in by McCasland.

Gossett is not facing any criminal charges, though she said she’s also “not been granted any type of deal” to share evidence against McCasland.

McCasland was first arrested Wednesday morning in Tucumcari, where he has family, on charges he stole a television set and other items found at his home in Portales. The items were linked to burglaries in Angel Fire, records show.

Tucumcari authorities released him Wednesday, but on Thursday, charges of burglary and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle were filed by Colfax County officials against McCasland.

The Colfax County warrant states McCasland unlawfully entered an Angel Fire Resort storage building and stole a snowmobile.

Lindsey said his client was arraigned on the second set of charges and again released.

The news release from the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office states Parker reported the missing cash to state police for investigation after an internal audit. The police probe couldn’t find a responsible party.

Beginning of probe

The criminal charges filed last week were a result of what Sheriff Parker called a “routine weapons inspection” that took place in May.

McCasland reported he could not find his duty-issued Glock .40-caliber handgun, according to District Attorney Andrea Reeb. That’s when state police were called to investigate.

According to the sheriff’s news release:

• State police reported to the sheriff that crimes were discovered after conducting interviews with McCasland and others. A search warrant was executed on McCasland’s home, and stolen items were discovered.

• State police also told the sheriff the missing money possibly was linked to McCasland, based on witness interviews and purchases made.

• McCasland was placed on immediate leave pending an internal investigation.

• McCasland was served a notice of termination Monday, and he resigned his post via third party the next day.

The money missing from the sheriff’s department was not located, but Lindsey said the county paid him the $8,254 as part of his fee for representing another client whose money was stolen.

In a Roosevelt County affidavit filed Wednesday that accompanied McCasland’s initial arrest warrant, it stated he kept a stolen television set, chain saw and pole-pruner saw at his Portales residence.

According to the affidavit filed by New Mexico State Police Sgt. Gerardo Hernandez, McCasland’s former wife, Gossett, provided the information about the Angel Fire burglaries when McCasland was employed as an officer there.

She said in Saturday’s telephone interview with The News she “was forced to be with Chris at the time (the crimes) were committed.”

Court records show she requested protection from McCasland because she feared he would retaliate against her. She said she didn’t hold a grudge against her former husband but felt her and McCasland’s participation in the crimes was wrong and needed to be reported.

“Please remember from the affidavit she was involved in stealing, up to her neck,” Lindsey said. “Apparently ... she was reaping the benefits and making claims that she was intimidated. So she just kept quiet for almost 6 years. ... (S)he wants you to believe that she just magically grew a conscience?”

Records show the couple was divorced last summer.

When they lived in Angel Fire from 2013 to 2016, Gossett said McCasland broke into the Alpine Lumber store and stole several chain saws and a pole-pruner saw. She told state police several of the saws were sold or traded but a few were kept at his Portales home.

Gossett also said she and McCasland were involved in a burglary and theft of two television sets at Enchanted Circle Brewing Co. in Angel Fire and a snowmobile from Angel Fire Resort. She said the snowmobile was taken to a storage facility in Las Vegas and later was sold to someone in Angel Fire, according to the court documents.

Follow-up investigations by state police determined Gossett’s recollections were accurate based on police reports filed in Angel Fire at the time. The snowmobile was found at the Angel Fire residence where Gossett said it was. The person who bought the snowmobile said McCasland didn’t give him a title with the vehicle.

Records show McCasland denied involvement in the burglaries, the missing firearm and missing money in the evidence vault.

McCasland is the son of Quay County Commission Chairman Franklin McCasland, who declined to comment last week.