Convicted former La Junta fire chief arrested again

Former La Junta Fire Chief Aaron Eveatt was booked into the Otero County Jail last week on a charge of attempting to influence a public servant, just months after he pleaded guilty to embezzling public money.

Eveatt was arrested on Friday, according to the Otero County Sheriff's Office. The charge of attempting to influence a public servant, which is a Class 4 felony, came after "an incident that occurred at the Courthouse."

The sheriff's office didn't give details about the allegation.

However, Eveatt avoided jail time earlier this year after taking a plea deal for embezzling public money. According to the La Junta Tribune Democrat, he entered a guilty plea in June for felony embezzlement and a misdemeanor count of official misconduct. He was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay about $57,000 in restitution in August.

The Tribune Democrat reports that Eveatt had used public money for various things like a bedroom set, an Amazon Prime membership, payments to Rancher's Supply, Eagles tickets, $6,000 in tuition at Otero Junior College, and others. He was originally charged with 22 counts following that initial arrest.

Eveatt was chief of the La Junta Fire Department from 2004 until December 2018.