Albuquerque doctor arrested for shoplifting has been accused of theft before
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – It seems a top UNM Medical Group executive arrested for shoplifting from a local Target has done something like this before.
After KOB 4’s story aired on her arrest, viewers reached out to us, letting us know this isn’t the first time Dr. Melissa Ivers has been accused of stealing.
Deputy District Attorney Karl Swanson told KOB 4 the previous incident happened over a decade ago and was never filed.
But, it wouldn’t change the outcome for Ivers. Instead of jail time, the dentist will go to a “pre-prosecution diversion program.”
Lapel video shows the moment Ivers was caught trying to shoplift more than $200 worth of products from the Target on Coors.
According to a criminal complaint, she successfully stole about $900 worth in three separate trips – all happening in less than a month.
But this isn’t the first time this has happened. A UNMPD uniform incident report from 2011 accuses Ivers of stealing $135 from UNM Dental Services.
Deputy DA Swanson says they didn’t know about the incident, but it wouldn’t change anything.
Last week, the DA’s office told the court they were dropping the case because they accepted Ivers into the “pre-prosecution diversion program.”
“What we’ll do, very early on in case, the first day the charges are filed, in fact, we’ll look at a criminal complaint. We’ll also look at criminal history and this would not this incident, that from 2011, that would not have popped up in our criminal history, because charges were never filed, and she was never arrested. And so this particular individual has minimal criminal history,” said Swanson.
Ivers is the associate chief medical officer for UNM Medical Group.
A lot of viewers implied the fact that she’s high-ranking and makes more than $200,000 a year played a role in the decision to not face jail time.
But Swanson says her economic status has nothing to do with their decision.
On Tuesday, KOB 4 reached out to UNM Health. They tell us she’s still on paid administrative leave and has been since her arrest.
We also received the three police reports that detail what she was stealing from Target.
APD reports list a lot of bedding, clothes and even a vacuum.
UPDATE (1/23/2024):
“The UNM Medical Group removed Melissa Ivers from her leadership position as Associate Chief Medical Officer on January 16. Additionally, Ms. Ivers has tendered her resignation from UNM effective May 17th, 2024.” – Communications Director Chris Ramirez, UNM Health and Health Sciences Spokesperson
MORE: