Grants officer resigns
Chee faces battery, other charges

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — A Grants police sergeant has resigned and faces a preliminary hearing April 18 in connection with alleged battery and other charges.

Sgt. Georgette Chee resigned March 11, after pleading not guilty in a first appearance before Cibola County Magistrate Eliseo Alcon.

She is charged with: Two felonies, abandonment/abuse of a child and contributing to the delinquency of a minor and two misdemeanors, both battery against a household member

She was released on her own recognizance by Alcon.

If she is prosecuted and convicted of all the charges she faces nearly five years in state prison and $12,000, or both, according to Magistrate Court records.

Grants Police Chief Marty Vigil said his department conducted an internal investigation, in addition to an investigation by New Mexico State Police, who made the arrest.

"I can't comment on that any further, because it is a personnel issue," he said.

In the early morning hours of Jan. 23, Chee, 31, and her two sisters were drinking and arguing, according to court records.

One of the sisters was taken to Cibola General Hospital where she was treated for a wound after punching through a window and cutting her arm severely, court records state.

Inside the residence, New Mexico State Police officers observed a broken table, mirror and lamp. When Chee arrived home from work she told state police the sisters had already been drinking, court records state.

The situation developed because one of the sisters confronted Chee about issues from the past, including restrictions on one of the sisters because she got suspended from school, according to court records.

An argument ensued and Chee defended herself against both sisters, she told state police. The investigating officer stated he observed a strong odor of alcohol on her breath, with watery eyes and slurred speech. She admitted drinking, according to court records.

One of the sisters was in a Grants police car when state police arrived and she admitted that she had been drinking and that Chee was hitting her sister. She said Chee hit her as well, according to court records.

State police were unable to get a statement from the sister at the hospital because she had been sedated and restrained due to being combative and not allowing medical personnel to treat her.

— To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 287-2197 or e-mail: tiffin.independent@yahoo.com