OIG audit probe in Office of Justice Programs NM grant .

From Office of Inspector General website

December 9, 2008

Office of Justice Programs Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Cooperative Agreement Awarded to New Mexico Attorney General’s Office New Mexico

The Office of the Inspector General, Audit Division, has completed an audit of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program Cooperative Agreement No. 2004 MC CX K008 in the amount of $681,822 (including one supplement), awarded by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), to the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office (NMAGO). The purpose of the award is to provide assistance to state and local law enforcement agencies to enhance investigative responses to offenders who use the Internet, online communication systems, or other computer technology to sexually exploit children.

The purpose of this audit was to determine whether reimbursements claimed for costs under the cooperative agreement were allowable, supported, and in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, guidelines, and terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement, and to determine program performance and accomplishments. Our audit was designed to review performance in the following areas: (1) internal control environment; (2) drawdowns; (3) cooperative agreement expenditures, including personnel and indirect costs; (4) budget management and control; (5) matching; (6) property management; (7) program income; (8) Financial Status Reports (FSR), Categorical Assistance Progress Reports, and Monthly Performance Measure Reports; (9) cooperative agreement requirements; (10) program performance and accomplishments; and (11) monitoring of subgrantees and contractors. We determined that matching costs, program income, and monitoring of subgrantees and contractors were not applicable to this cooperative agreement.


We examined the NMAGO’s accounting records, financial and progress reports, and operating policies and procedures and found that the:

• Financial Status Reports, Categorical Assistance Progress Reports, and Monthly Performance Measure Reports were up to 215 days late and were inaccurate or unsupported and

• Brochures that were produced with cooperative agreement funds did not include the OJP Financial Guide required statement acknowledging the awarding agency’s assistance on the brochures.

However, OIG's audit found that the Illinois DuPage County Children’s Center (Children’s Center) Project grant objectives were all satisfactory.

See here.

Democrat Patricia Madrid was the NM state Attorney General at the time. In 2006, she was defeated by Republican Heather Wilson. Wilson was on the House Page Board from 2001 to 2004 in connection to the former Rep. Mark Foley page scandal and in connection to the USA firing of former USA David Iglesias.

Flores, an experienced lawyer and former prosecutor had expertise in Internet crime, child abuse and exploitation, and juvenile justice issues. Under Flores' leadership, OJJDP has expanded its efforts to respond to the online exploitation of children and significantly increased the involvement of faith-based and community organizations in its programming.

Here were 5 grants awarded under ICAC Task Force Program in 2004:

OJJDP awarded five grants under
the Internet Crimes Against Children
(ICAC) Task Force Program in FY 2004, meeting the President’s goal
of establishing 45 ICAC task forces
by 2005. The FY 2004 awards went
to the Cook County (IL) Attorney
General, Illinois Attorney General’s
Office; Iowa Department of Public
Safety; New Mexico Attorney General’s
Office; Oregon Department of
Justice; and Virginia Department of
State Police.