Raúl Torrez Attorney General at New Mexico | Official website
Attorney General Raúl Torrez has secured a plea agreement in a significant case involving Patricia Hurtado, who pleaded guilty to kidnapping, conspiracy to commit first-degree kidnapping, and Medicaid fraud. The New Mexico Attorney General's office announced that Hurtado will serve five years in prison and pay $3.3 million in restitution for her crimes, which include Medicaid fraud.
Hurtado is also set to testify against Angelita Chacon, the main defendant in the case concerning the death of Mary Melero. Melero, a 38-year-old woman with developmental disabilities, was found severely neglected near the U.S.-Mexico border in February 2023. She later died from extreme abuse and neglect.
In June 2025, both defendants were taken into custody after violating release conditions by tampering with GPS monitors and contacting each other. "Hurtado’s admission of guilt affords a measure of justice to the victim’s family and an accounting of the losses to Medicaid caused by Hurtado’s fraud and abuse," said Attorney General Raúl Torrez. He added that this development advances the prosecution against Chacon.
The plea agreement requires Hurtado to plead guilty to several charges and serve five years of supervised probation after her incarceration. She must also testify truthfully in ongoing investigations related to State of New Mexico v Angelita Rene Chacon. Additionally, she cannot seek employment as a caregiver or work with vulnerable populations.
Hurtado is liable for $861,649.47 in restitution to the State of New Mexico and $2.5 million to Mary Melero's estate. Several agencies collaborated on this case, including the El Paso FBI Field Office, New Mexico State Police, Rio Rancho Police Department, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico, and Albuquerque FBI Field Office.
The investigation was conducted by the NMDOJ’s Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Bureau (MFEAB), which receives substantial funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant totaling $3,451,202 for fiscal year 2025.
Information from this article can be found here.
