Dustin Bingham
Staff Report
Deputy District Attorney Michael Nunez has filed a five-count criminal information against Dustin Bingham in First Judicial District Court, and as a result, is expected to dismiss the 11 counts pending against him in Los Alamos Magistrate Court.
Bingham is a former Los Alamos Police Department Detention Officer who worked for LAPD from 2012 to 2015 and went on to serve as a Santa Fe sheriff’s deputy until last February when he resigned. The alleged crimes occurred between November 2015 and 2017, several months after his employment at LAPD ended.
The charges in the new criminal complaint filed Aug. 2 are as follows:
- Count 1 : Criminal sexual contact of a minor in the second degree (child under 13) unclothed;
- Count 2: Criminal sexual contact of a minor in the third degree (child under 13) clothed;
- Count 3: Criminal sexual contact of a minor in the fourth degree;
- Count 4: Child solicitation by electronic communication device; and
- Count 5: Sexual exploitation of children (possession).
The five charges involve three victims under the age of 18 with one being 12 or younger.
First Judicial District Judge T. Glenn Ellington ruled May 12 that Bingham remain in custody pending trial after finding that he posed a danger to the community in general and particularly to others involved in the case and that there were no conditions of release that would guarantee their safety.
Los Alamos Magistrate Court charges, which do not appear to be included in the five District Court counts are a second count of sexual contact of a minor in the second degree, a second count of sexual contact of a minor in the third degree and four counts of sexual contact of a minor in the fourth degree.
An arraignment/plea hearing has been slated for Aug. 21 in District Court.
