Former NMSP officer convicted of child sexual abuse

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A former New Mexico State Police trooper was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Thursday, July 11, for sexually abusing a child, the New Mexico Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced.

Ronald Jackson, 55, was found guilty by a jury in Las Cruces of criminal sexual abuse of a child under the age of thirteen.

The Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office said allegations of sexual assault that occurred when the victim was 14 years old were reported to CPS in April 2020.

The victim was in fourth grade when the abuse began and continued for over two years. According to the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office, it was also discovered that Jackson stalked the victim on social media for over a year.

During the investigation, investigators found that Jackson had been fired from the New Mexico State Police for inappropriate behavior toward female co-workers and had been dismissed from the correctional facility for inappropriate touching. Jackson was also fired for an alleged rape complaint against an inmate at the prison, according to the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

According to the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office, the rape charge was dropped because the inmate died while in custody.