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Taos County sheriff's sergeant charged with fraud

TAOS, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a sheriff's office sergeant is facing 21 felony counts of fraud, falsification of documents and perjury. Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe says Sgt. Ricky Romero was charged Wednesday and that the department has launched an internal investigation. The charges were brought forward by the New Mexico Attorney General's Office, which conducted the investigation. The AG's offices alleges that Romero was taking payments from Medicaid for caring for an elderly person while at the same time billing the sheriff's office for work. Authorities say the double-dipping took place between April 2012 and September 2013. Romero has been a Taos County employee for over 16 years.