The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office has fired one of its deputies and plans to terminate a second after an internal affairs investigation.On Tuesday, Sheriff John Allen told KOAT that Deputy Jacob Zamora was fired on April 7. Zamora was a probationary deputy who recently graduated from the police academy.An internal affairs investigation was opened into Zamora last month, after BCSO was notified by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, also known as ATF, that the serial numbers of a rifle used in a recent homicide investigation matched the serial number of a BCSO department rifle. Zamora was immediately placed on administrative leave.That homicide happened on Jan. 1 in downtown Albuquerque and is being investigated by the Albuquerque Police Department. BCSO learned that Zamora’s department-issued AR-15 was stolen out of his personal vehicle, and he never reported it stolen to his supervisors or the department. Instead, Sheriff Allen said, he replaced it with his own personal rifle.”You’re always supposed to secure your firearm no matter what, even if it’s in your personal vehicle. My question would be, if he was still here…One, why is it in your personal vehicle? Two, why wasn’t it stowed away like the way you were trained in the BCSO Academy that you graduated in October of 2025? And if it’s left unlocked and unsecure, why?” said Allen.Zamora was hired by BCSO in April 2025 and graduated from the police academy in October of that year. He was issued his department firearms in August of 2025.Plans are in place to fire Deputy Brian LassleySheriff Allen also told KOAT that he plans to fire Deputy Brian Lassley after a use-of-force incident near the Youth Detention Center.Body camera video shared to KOAT from December 3, 2025, shows a possible use of excessive force involving Lassley and a 16-year-old girl. In the video, Lassley is seen shoving the teen’s face into the backseat of a police car multiple times, all while she is handcuffed. Deputies were called to Youth Detention Center for a disturbance involving the teenage girl who left the center. According to deputies, she already injured a few deputies at the scene before Lassley arrived to assist his fellow deputies.The teen is placed in the back of a police car and that’s when Lassley begins documenting her injuries. At first, she appears calm. But she eventually gets agitated with Lassley. Body camera video shows Lassley slamming the girl’s head into the floorboard until other deputies intervene to stop him. Lassley claimed the teen kicked her.Once the incident was brought to Sheriff Allen’s attention, he opened up an internal investigation into Lassley, placed him on administrative leave, and also asked the Multi-Agency Task Force to investigate. New Mexico State Police became the lead agency on the investigation and shared their findings with the district attorney’s office.”Once I saw the video, I will be very upfront with you. I was pretty pissed, and I was appalled,” said Allen.Because of the possibility of criminal charges, the internal affairs investigation was put on hold.”Deputy Lassley, I will be going to terminate. This is not what the public expects, nor are we perfect. But this is not acceptable behavior, and if you cannot control your temper, your emotions, how you control yourself, and even more specifically with juveniles, and from what I saw in the body cam, it is not acceptable,” said Allen.The district attorney’s office has been investigating for more than two weeks whether any charges will be filed against Lassley. Once that criminal investigation is finished, BCSO’s internal investigation into him will reopen, and once it’s complete, Allen told KOAT that he will fire Lassley.Lassley was also involved in a deadly crash in Aug. 2024. Investigators say he rear-ended a car and killed the driver.
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office has fired one of its deputies and plans to terminate a second after an internal affairs investigation.
On Tuesday, Sheriff John Allen told KOAT that Deputy Jacob Zamora was fired on April 7. Zamora was a probationary deputy who recently graduated from the police academy.
An internal affairs investigation was opened into Zamora last month, after BCSO was notified by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, also known as ATF, that the serial numbers of a rifle used in a recent homicide investigation matched the serial number of a BCSO department rifle. Zamora was immediately placed on administrative leave.
That homicide happened on Jan. 1 in downtown Albuquerque and is being investigated by the Albuquerque Police Department.
BCSO learned that Zamora’s department-issued AR-15 was stolen out of his personal vehicle, and he never reported it stolen to his supervisors or the department. Instead, Sheriff Allen said, he replaced it with his own personal rifle.
“You’re always supposed to secure your firearm no matter what, even if it’s in your personal vehicle. My question would be, if he was still here…One, why is it in your personal vehicle? Two, why wasn’t it stowed away like the way you were trained in the BCSO Academy that you graduated in October of 2025? And if it’s left unlocked and unsecure, why?” said Allen.
Zamora was hired by BCSO in April 2025 and graduated from the police academy in October of that year. He was issued his department firearms in August of 2025.
Plans are in place to fire Deputy Brian Lassley
Sheriff Allen also told KOAT that he plans to fire Deputy Brian Lassley after a use-of-force incident near the Youth Detention Center.
Body camera video shared to KOAT from December 3, 2025, shows a possible use of excessive force involving Lassley and a 16-year-old girl. In the video, Lassley is seen shoving the teen’s face into the backseat of a police car multiple times, all while she is handcuffed.
Deputies were called to Youth Detention Center for a disturbance involving the teenage girl who left the center. According to deputies, she already injured a few deputies at the scene before Lassley arrived to assist his fellow deputies.
The teen is placed in the back of a police car and that’s when Lassley begins documenting her injuries. At first, she appears calm. But she eventually gets agitated with Lassley. Body camera video shows Lassley slamming the girl’s head into the floorboard until other deputies intervene to stop him. Lassley claimed the teen kicked her.
Once the incident was brought to Sheriff Allen’s attention, he opened up an internal investigation into Lassley, placed him on administrative leave, and also asked the Multi-Agency Task Force to investigate. New Mexico State Police became the lead agency on the investigation and shared their findings with the district attorney’s office.
“Once I saw the video, I will be very upfront with you. I was pretty pissed, and I was appalled,” said Allen.
Because of the possibility of criminal charges, the internal affairs investigation was put on hold.
“Deputy Lassley, I will be going to terminate. This is not what the public expects, nor are we perfect. But this is not acceptable behavior, and if you cannot control your temper, your emotions, how you control yourself, and even more specifically with juveniles, and from what I saw in the body cam, it is not acceptable,” said Allen.
The district attorney’s office has been investigating for more than two weeks whether any charges will be filed against Lassley. Once that criminal investigation is finished, BCSO’s internal investigation into him will reopen, and once it’s complete, Allen told KOAT that he will fire Lassley.
Lassley was also involved in a deadly crash in Aug. 2024. Investigators say he rear-ended a car and killed the driver.
