LEA COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – After a video shattered her world, Karina Tello, a former deputy, is taking legal action against her former employer, the Lea County Sheriff’s Office. Tello, who lost her job amidst the fallout, alleges unjust termination and failure to address the incident appropriately.
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In 2023, Tello found herself at the center of a scandal as three of her former coworkers and another officer sent a nude video of Tello to multiple recipients, including Tello’s fiancé, a coworker’s wife, and senior officials within the department, including Sheriff Corey Helton. The accused individuals are Sergeant Sonia Estrada, Deputies Diana Jurado-Garcia and Aileen Vizcarra, and Jal police officer, Alyssa Porras.
Speaking about her ordeal earlier in March, Tello expressed the emotional toll it has taken on her and her family, highlighting the financial strain and the loss of her nine-year career in law enforcement. Benjamin Gubernick, Tello’s attorney, said “They wouldn’t investigate the underlying crime here. They wouldn’t discipline the people who committed it. And they continue to circle the wagons and blame the victim.”
The lawsuit, filed on March 19, names the four women involved, along with high-ranking members of the Sheriff’s Office, including Sheriff Corey Helton. It alleges wrongful termination and a failure of leadership to act or involve the state police in the investigation.
Gubernick stressed the importance of accountability, stating that those responsible for such actions will not escape consequences. “I hope that the you know, that the state police prosecution and this lawsuit, drive home for people who might be in a similar position that the law does still protect you.”
In response to the lawsuit, the Lea County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release stating, “In light of the recent publicity regarding the Lea County Sheriff’s Office and Lea County, we strongly deny the allegations. We feel confident that we will prevail when all the facts are presented.”
