GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FACE FELONY DRUG CHARGES

Two high-ranking officials with a southern New Mexico governmental
agency are facing felony drug charges stemming from a recent incident
in Las Cruces.

Elizabeth Bernal, 50, of Truth or Consequences, and Jerry M.
Kloeppel, 54, of Elephant Butte are facing fourth-degree felony
charges of possession of cocaine and tampering with evidence.
Kloeppel is also charged with conspiracy to commit possession of
cocaine, also a fourth-degree felony.

Bernal is the director of the South Central Council of Governments, a
lobbying force and fiscal agent for grants to local governments in
Dona Ana, Sierra and Socorro counties. Kloeppel is the deputy director.

The charges, which were filed Thursday by the district attorney's
office, stem from allegations that the two were spotted snorting
lines of cocaine in a state-owned vehicle in the parking lot of the
Las Cruces Best Buy store on Aug. 26. According to a Metro Narcotics
report, they told officers they were at the shopping center to buy
office supplies.

Bernal and Kloeppel could not be reached for comment. They are
scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 14, according to court records. At
that point a judge will assign a bond to each case. The two will then
have to post bond to avoid arrest.

In the meantime, both remain out of jail.

The council is funded by the state and all local governments in the
three counties it represents. Its board, which employs Bernal, is
made up of one representative from each local government.

Bernal and Kloeppel are paid by public funds. Their salaries could
not be obtained on Friday.

At this time, Bernal remains on the job. Kloeppel, according to a
woman who answered the telephone at the council's Elephant Butte
office, is currently on medical leave.

"Obviously we're concerned," said Sunland Park Mayor Jesus "Ruben"
Segura, the city's representative on the council. "It's something we
need to look into."

Dona Ana County's representative, Commissioner Kent Evans, agreed,
saying both likely need to be placed on paid administrative leave
pending the resolution of the court cases.

Both stressed that Bernal and Kloeppel are presumed innocent until
proven guilty.

"I've known Liz for a long time," Segura said. "I've found her to be
a person of integrity."

Kloeppel told officers he snorted the drug because he had a
"stressful day," the report states. He said they had in their
possession an amount of cocaine valued at $20.

Bernal, the report states, did not admit to snorting or possessing
cocaine, telling officers that she "was not sure why Jerry (Kloeppel)
decided to do several lines of cocaine." She told the officer "that
she was against Jerry's actions and ... even got into an argument with him."

If convicted, Bernal faces a maximum of three years in prison.
Kloeppel faces a maximum of 41/2 years in prison.