On July 10, 2026, Paul Jessen, Jr., a former FBI Task Force Officer (TFO) previously assigned to the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, was found guilty on one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, two counts of obstruction of justice, and one count of making a false statement. According to the evidence presented at trial, TFO Jessen and former Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Detective Kyle Linker recruited a drug trafficker to work as a confidential informant (CI) in July 2021. According to evidence presented at trial, in or about November 2021, Linker warned the CI about a planned DEA operation, which caused the CI to change the location of the drug deal and cancel another deal. In or about December 2021, DEA executed a search warrant at the CI’s residence and subsequently interviewed the CI, who admitted that he had been previously tipped off. Jessen also made a false statement during his FBI interview. The investigation was conducted by the OIG’s Houston Office, the FBI, and the DEA.
Date Issued
Case Action
Conviction by Trial