KOB TV is reporting that Jamie Estrada, fired campaign manager to Susana Martinez, was indicted today on computer intrusion and false statement charges.
The charges stem from the interception of emails between Martinez and members of her staff between July 2011 and June 2012.
Twelve of the 14 counts in the indictment are related to the intercepted emails. The remaining counts charge Estrada with making false statements to the FBI.
According to federal officials, Estrada was allegedly hired by the Martinez campaign as an unpaid manager in July 2009 and left the campaign in December 2009.
Governor Martinez released a statement to the press Thursday afternoon. Below is the statement.
“The federal felony indictment today vindicates what I have been saying for almost a full year – that the personal and political emails of dozens of people, including my own, were hijacked, stolen, and never received by the intended recipients.
Thousands of New Mexicans are victims of identity theft and cyber crimes each year, and I hope the indictment today sends a strong message that no one deserves to have their privacy invaded.
Even in the world of politics, issues should be the subject of tough and vigorous debates, but there are clear lines that should not be crossed and committing federal felony crimes to invade the personal privacy of political opponents is one of them.
I knew the defendant to be a man of suspect character. That is why I fired him from my campaign in 2009 and why I rejected him for a position within my administration after being elected.
Unfortunately, the stolen emails were passed to Bill Richardson’s former private investigator and numerous others, in order to exact the defendant’s revenge on me through disseminating, and grossly misrepresenting, those emails.
I am grateful for the professional work done by the FBI and United States Attorney’s office and have complete confidence that justice will be done in this case.”
