Santa Fe utilities director booked on larceny charge

Santa Fe: So, here’s the scoop. John Dupuis, the guy in charge of Public Works and Utilities in Santa Fe, got himself into some hot water. He was arrested on a felony larceny charge early Saturday morning.

Dupuis, who just started his role in February 2023, was booked into the county jail around 4:20 a.m. The charge? Larceny over $500 but under $2,500, which is considered a fourth-degree felony.

Not much info is out yet. Both the police and the interim city manager, Randy Randall, are pretty tight-lipped about what went down. Randall mentioned in an email that they’re hoping it’s just a misunderstanding.

He also said the city will work with any criminal investigation and will conduct its own internal review. As of Saturday afternoon, Dupuis hadn’t had a bond set. The only thing available on the public records site was a safety assessment showing he has no violent past or missed court dates, suggesting he could be released on his own.

Interestingly, Dupuis had a run-in with the law back in 2019 for aggravated drunken driving when he was the utilities division director. That charge was dismissed after he challenged the suspension of his driver’s license.