Plead Guilty to Bribery Charges, Lose Your Job, Collect Unemployment from NM Dept. of Workforce Solutions

Santa Fe New Mexican - Laurie Chapman, a former state Corrections Department official who has pleaded guilty to 30 counts of federal bribery charges, has been receiving unemployment benefits since shortly after she was fired by the state early this year, according to documents filed in court. In an affidavit filed in Chapman's case, Deputy U.S. Marshal Dave Loyer wrote, "Since her state employment ended in February 2011, I learned from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions that Defendant Chapman applied for unemployment benefits in February 2011, and has been receiving unemployment benefits weekly since March of 2011."

After resigning as the facilities manager for the Corrections Department in May 2010, Chapman went to work for the state Indian Affairs Department, where she earned $63,124, a spokesman for Gov. Susana Martinez said after Chapman was indicted in April. She was fired from that post Feb. 23. Senate Republican Leader Bill Payne of Albuquerque has sponsored bills aimed at prohibiting state officials who have been convicted of corruption charges from receiving state pensions. On Wednesday, when told about Chapman's unemployment benefits, he said changes in unemployment-benefit policies might be necessary. Read full story here: News New Mexico 

Plead Guilty to Bribery Charges, Lose Your Job, Collect Unemployment from NM Dept. of Workforce Solutions