BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

Barrett Lee-Huy Hudson, 23, of Los Alamos has been charged in Los Alamos Magistrate Court with 27 counts of fraud in connection with the alleged processing of fraudulent returns of merchandise at Smith’s Marketplace in Los Alamos.

Los Alamos Police Det. Michael Weiss met with Smith’s officials who reported that between October 13 and October 30 Hudson had allegedly processed $7,699.12 in fraudulent returns, in amounts up to $1,492 on the October 29 using the same credit/debit card. On November 3, Weiss again met with Smith’s officials who told him there were three more returns processed November 2 bringing the total amount to $9.798.86. Weiss was shown video footage of Hudson at the cash register at the time the returns were processed. Hudson used a supervisor’s card to log in.

When Hudson didn’t show up for his shift Nov. 3, Smith’s employees went to his home to check on him but he didn’t answer the door even though they could hear him inside the residence.

Weiss requested an arrest from Magistrate Judge Pat Casados citing the changes in Hudson’s behavior after the fraud was detected, including “absenting himself from work and avoiding contact with Smith’s employees seeking to hold him responsible. These changes gave Weiss reason to believe Hudson was likely to flee or tamper with evidence in the case so he requested an arrest warrant rather than a summons to court.

Hudson has been charged with four felony counts ($500-$2,500), 13 misdemeanor counts ($250-$500) and 9 petty misdemeanors (up to $250). Hudson is free on his own recognizance and pretrial conditions of release pending trial. A status hearing has been set for Dec. 5 before Judge Casados.