Aug. 28—A former Albuquerque firefighter acquitted of rape last month alleges in a lawsuit that city officials wrongfully fired and defamed him after the allegations surfaced in 2023.
Aden Heyman, 48, a former lieutenant for Albuquerque Fire Rescue, alleges that he and two other firefighters were fired before a criminal investigation was completed and despite their protests of innocence.
Heyman also alleges in the suit that city officials made widely publicized comments accusing the three of unethical conduct and “implying their guilt.”
“These statements were widely reported in the news and in the firefighting community, causing severe damage to (Heyman’s) personal and professional reputation,” the suit said. “The acquittals confirmed (Heyman’s) longstanding assertion of innocence.”
AFR spokesman Lt. Jason Fejer said the city doesn’t comment on pending litigation. “The complaint has been received and is currently being reviewed,” he said.
The suit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages but does not ask that Heyman be reinstated as a firefighter. The lawsuit, filed earlier this month in 2nd Judicial District Court, names as defendants the city of Albuquerque, AFR Chief Emily Jaramillo and Deputy Chief Chris Sotelo.
“We are seeking in this lawsuit to hold everyone accountable for terminating Mr. Heyman’s employment and defaming him on patently false allegations and an incomplete and inadequate investigation,” said Heyman’s attorney, Jason Bowles.
A 2nd Judicial District Court jury in Albuquerque acquitted Heyman and a second former firefighter, Anthony Martin, 46, following a trial that hinged on the testimony of a woman who accused the men of raping her.
The acquittals provided a dramatic ending to a case that made headlines in July 2023 when the woman told Albuquerque police that she was raped by three AFR firefighters following a charity golf tournament.
The third former firefighter, Angel Portillo, 34, remains charged with three counts of criminal sexual penetration for his role in the incident. No trial has been scheduled in Portillo’s case.
Heyman, who served 12 years with AFR, and Portillo were both terminated in September 2023 following an internal investigation that found they had violated agency policies, an AFR spokesman said at the time. Martin chose to retire with full benefits after the allegations surfaced.
The suit also takes aim at the Albuquerque Police Department for what it describes as an “incomplete” criminal investigation.
“The Albuquerque Police Department never conducted a full investigation, which became evident at trial,” the suit contends. It alleges that investigators were ordered to “rush” the arrest of the three men before the investigation was complete.
“Upon information and belief, AFR coordinated with the Albuquerque Police Department to terminate (Heyman) based on these false allegations before completing a fair investigation,” the suit contends.