�SAGUACHE � All charges in six cases against former Center police officer Carlos Heredia were dismissed here in Saguache County Court last Friday in exchange for a guilty plea to official misconduct.

�Special prosecutor Molly Chilson of Salida said Heredia�s plea to the petty offense carried a fine of $400. Heredia paid an additional $28.50 in court costs.

�The official misconduct charge arose from an incident between Jan. 1, 2010, and March 15, 2010, in which Heredia allowed someone to drive his vehicle knowing the person did not have a driver�s license, Chilson said.

�Two other misdemeanor counts in the case were dismissed along with two other misdemeanor cases and three felony cases, Chilson said.

� Heredia, 38, had been charged with intimidation of a witness or victim and retaliation against a witness or victim, both felonies; and reckless endangerment, third-degree assault and first-degree official misconduct, all misdemeanors.

�The felony retaliation charge stemmed from a Sept. 29 incident in which Heredia responded to a 911 call in the 700 block of Hunt Street. He was alleged to have forced his way into the residence and came at Jaime Aguilar, hitting and head-butting the man, and then firing his Taser gun into Aguilar�s chest, according to the arrest warrant..

�Then he allegedly arrested both the victim�s mother and another woman at the residence for second-degree assault and for obstructing, despite no indication in his arrest report or witness statement that either of the women struck anyone.

�Chilson said Monday that the cases were interrelated and were dismissed because her office did not believe the evidence was sufficient to pursue prosecution.

� A special prosecutor was called in because of the working relationship between the local police department and the 12th Judicial District Attorney�s Office, based in Alamosa.

� Heredia, who was hired as a police officer with the Center Police Department on May 16, 2009, was placed on administrative leave on Oct. 6. Interim Town Clerk and Administrator Mark Garcia said Monday that Heredia was officially dismissed from his post on Jan. 6 following an internal investigation.

� Garcia said the dismissal resulted from �a number of things,� but could not be specific.