Sex toys found at accused professor's office

Former UNM president F. Chris Garcia’s office at the Social Sciences Building wasn’t just filled with academic documents.

Albuquerque Police raided the office June 23 and found a briefcase and cabinet full of sex toys, 21 pornographic videos and nine sex books, according to an unsealed search warrant obtained by the Albuquerque Journal.

Detectives confiscated a computer and other electronic storage devices, along with notebooks containing information related to prostitution and the alleged online prostitution ring, “Southwest
Companions.”

Detectives said Garcia was on the website while at UNM.

“It should be noted that throughout all times of the day and night, my investigation shows that Mr. Garcia accesses (Southwest Companions’) website,” the warrant said. “These hours of access are consistent with times he is working at the University of New Mexico as well as at his residence.”

Garcia’s home was also searched, and three more computers and his cell phone were confiscated.

Garcia served as a UNM president, provost, dean and professor, and though he is now retired, his position as political science professor emeritus allows him access to the University campus.

David Serna, Garcia’s attorney, told the Journal he couldn’t comment on the search warrants because he had not yet seen them. Serna said UNM President David Schmidly restricted Garcia’s access to his University office pending the outcome of the investigation.

Garcia faces felony charges of promoting prostitution, conspiracy and evidence tampering.