In May 2020, John Ramon Vigil, a City Councilman for Española, a city within Rio Arriba County, was charged with three counts of felony bribery and a misdemeanor count of refusing to aid an officer in connection with Chacon trying to garner favors from Vigil over a condemned house. When Española Police attempted to enforce a search warrant they had obtained on Vigil's phone Vigil called Sheriff Lujan for help. Vigil's defense team contends that Española Police went searching for someone to give them a warrant after the First Judicial District Attorney's Office refused to authorize a search warrant for Vigil's phone because there was no substantiated allegation of any criminal conduct and that “This is outrageously fabricated against the person leading the effort to make sure that police Chief Roger Jimenez doesn’t become full-time chief of police. Councilman Vigil has, for over a year, voted against interim Chief Jimenez keeping that job because of his lack of qualifications and integrity.” Jimenez was sworn into the permanent chief position on May 28, 2020 after the Española City Council deadlocked in a 4–4 split over Jimenez's confirmation and Mayor Sanchez broke the tie in Jimenez' favor.