Martinez Campaign Removes Registered Sex Offender From Fundraiser

Upon vetting, the campaign removed Dennis Crimmins from the host committee of a June 13 fundraiser.

The campaign of Republican Gov. Susana Martinez says it has removed a registered sex offender from the host committee of a June 13 fundraiser.---

SFR obtained the invitation for the fundraiser to be held in Alamogordo. Dennis and his wife Nell Crimmins were listed on the fundraiser's host committee in what the campaign calls an "old" invitation. The two run White Sands Construction, Inc., which has scored roughly $7.8 million in state contracts under the Martinez administration, according to New Mexico's Sunshine Portal.

In 1998, Dennis Crimmins pleaded no contest in Alamogordo District Court to one felony charge of criminal sexual penetration in the 2nd degree of a minor between the ages of 13 and 16, according to New Mexico's online court system. Two other rape charges were dropped, according to online records, as well a charge for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Crimmins, 51, is currently a registered sex offender.

Upon vetting by the campaign, Mr. Crimmins was removed from the host committee and no contribution was solicited, nor received.

Upon vetting by the campaign, Mr. Crimmins was removed from the host committee and no contribution was solicited, nor received.

Upon vetting by the campaign, Mr. Crimmins was removed from the host committee and no contribution was solicited, nor received.

Upon vetting by the campaign, Mr. Crimmins was removed from the host committee and no contribution was solicited, nor received.

Upon vetting by the campaign, Mr. Crimmins was removed from the host committee and no contribution was solicited, nor received.

Upon vetting by the campaign, Mr. Crimmins was removed from the host committee and no contribution was solicited, nor received.

"You have an old [invitation] that was

circulated

prior to vetting," Martinez' political advisor

Jay McCleskey

writes in an email. "Upon vetting by the campaign, Mr. Crimmins was removed from the host committee and no contribution was solicited, nor received."

It's unclear how or when the campaign vetted Crimmins and removed him from the host committee. McCleskey sent SFR a new invitation without Crimmins or his wife listed on it.

You have an old invitiation that was circulated prior to vetting. 

You have an old invitiation that was circulated prior to vetting. 

You have an old invitiation that was circulated prior to vetting. 

You have an old invitiation that was circulated prior to vetting. 

You have an old invitiation that was circulated prior to vetting. 

You have an old invitiation that was circulated prior to vetting. 

"You have an old invitiation that was circulated prior to vetting," Gov. Martinez' political advisor Jay McCleskey writes in an email. "Upon vetting by the campaign, Mr. Crimmins was removed from the host committee and no contribution was solicited, nor received."

Reached by phone, Crimmins says he had "no idea" he was on the host committee for the fundraiser.

"And that would’ve been done through the wife," he says of the fundraiser. 

It's unclear when or how the campaign discovered Crimmins' criminal history. But McCleskey forwarded SFR a new invitation that didn't list Crimmins or his wife on it.

Reached by phone, Crimmins said he had "no idea" he was on the host committee.

"And that would’ve been done through the wife," Crimmons said of the invitation.

"This is really, really shoddy of you guys," Crimmins added. "I mean, I’ve done nothing but help people in this community and haven’t had any issue for 15 years."

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