NEW MEXICO PRC COMMISSIONER ARRESTED FOR MARIJUANA

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- A member of the powerful state Public Regulation
Commission who advocated zero tolerance on drugs and alcohol in the PRC
workplace has been arrested on drug charges.

E. Shirley Baca, 53, of Las Cruces, was taken into custody shortly after 7
a.m. Wednesday at Albuquerque's international airport.

A container with a glass pipe and green, leafy substance that tested
positive as marijuana was found in Baca's suitcase, according to a
Metropolitan Court criminal complaint.

The suitcase was checked in with the airline to be loaded onto the
airplane, said John Roberts, deputy chief of Albuquerque Aviation Police.
An alarm used to detect explosives alerted federal security screeners to
the bag.

A search revealed less than an ounce of marijuana, Roberts said.

Baca, who had already passed through security, was paged over the intercom
system, located at a Delta Airlines gate and arrested.

When questioned, Baca allegedly told the officer that she smoked marijuana
occasionally, according to the complaint.

"(I'm) not going to admit that that is mine," Baca told the officer when
shown the container of marijuana, the complaint states.

Baca was booked into the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center on
misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession
of drug paraphernalia. She posted $1,000 bond by early afternoon.

An arraignment is scheduled Dec. 27, a court spokeswoman said.

PRC Commissioner David King said he was stunned when told by the Associated
Press that Baca had been arrested.

"I know that she was one of the advocates to have zero tolerance for drugs
or alcohol" at the PRC, King said. She advocated immediate dismissal of any
PRC employee when it comes to drugs or alcohol, he said.

"We have a lot of sensitive positions here. We just can't tolerate that
(drugs and alcohol). I think that, as commissioners, we have to set a
strong example," King said.

Baca was scheduled to take a flight Wednesday to New York City to
participate in an investment conference, King said.

A message left seeking comment at Baca's Santa Fe office was not
immediately returned. Baca's secretary, Jesse Ramirez, was surprised to
learn of Baca's arrest but said she could not comment further.

Baca, a Democrat, was elected in 2002 for a four-year term to the
five-member PRC, which oversees electricity and gas rates, insurance,
pipelines, telecommunications, fire districts and transportation in New Mexico.

Gov. Bill Richardson said nobody is above the law.

"This is a serious offense, which will carry serious consequences and she
will have to deal with that," Richardson said.

Commissioner Lynda Lovejoy said the news came as a big surprise.

"I'm going to refrain from passing any judgment because I really don't know
all the details," Lovejoy said.

Patrick Baca, commission chief of staff, declined comment.

Baca's arrest is the latest in a series of embarrassing busts for
high-profile officials in New Mexico.

John Brennan, former chief state district judge in Bernalillo County, was
arrested in May after trying to duck a checkpoint for drunken drivers. He
pleaded guilty to aggravated driving while intoxicated and cocaine
possession and was sentenced to a year of unsupervised probation.

Rep. Joe Thompson, R-Albuquerque, in April pleaded guilty to drunken
driving after he was stopped by Albuquerque police.

E. Shirley Baca was a state representative from 1993 to 1996. She also made
unsuccessful bids against the late Joe Skeen for the 2nd Congressional
District seat in 1996 and 1998.