Former University Of New Mexico President Fights Charges Of Online Sex Trafficking

Over one year after being charged with running an online brothel, former University of New Mexico president and professor, F. Chris Garcia, is still fighting the accusations.

Garcia was initially arrested in 2011 after Albuquerque police successfully traced the IP address of southwestcompanions.com back to him. The site was reportedly a sex-for-sale website.

In July 2012 it was decided the website was equal to a brothel by District Court Judge Stan Whitaker. He ruled that while the website made it possible for clients to find and meet up with hookers online, that facilitating trysts online did not match the charges.

Garcia’s Attorney, Robert Gorence, said after the ruling:

“The judge decided that you can’t have sex on a computer. They may have been able to charge my client with other things, but not maintaining a place of prostitution.”

Now Fox News reports that no charges were ever formally filed and after 18 months the entire case is up in the air. Michael Fricke, Deputy District Attorney of Bernalillo County, is trying to get the case in front of the Supreme Court so Garcia can be formally charged.

Gorence claims the long delay in being able to prepare the case to present to a Grand Jury is unfair to F. Chris Garcia. Fricke calls the long delay normal.

Despite never being charged with any crime, Garcia was barred from the University of New Mexico campus and had privileges given to a professor suspended directly after being arrested. About Garcia’s time away from work Gorence says:

“My client is suffering and wants his university privileges restored”

Garcia received the American Political Science Association Distinguished Service Award in 2001.

Here is a University video discussing Chris Garcia and his charges:

http://youtu.be/b1E4YjQ5wdQ

What do you think, should F. Chris Garcia be allowed to return to the University of Mexico while his case awaits further trial?