Two registered sex offenders fired from state fair

MORNING ... AFTER AN EYEWITNESS NEWS 4 INVESTIGATION REVEALED THEIR CRIMINAL PAST. VALERIE CASTR...  More »

MORNING ... AFTER AN EYEWITNESS NEWS 4 INVESTIGATION REVEALED THEIR CRIMINAL PAST. VALERIE CASTRO IS STANDING BY LIVE AT THE FAIR WITH DETAILS: THE TWO MEN HAD BEEN WORKING AT THE FAIR SINCE IT OPENED ... PICKING UP TRASH. BUT THEY WERE FIRED YESTERDAY WHEN FAIR OFFICIALS HEARD WHAT WE UNCOVERED: BOTH MEN ... KENT BRANCH ON THE LEFT ... AND MARK MONTOYA ON THE RIGHT ARE REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS. MONTOYA'S OFFENSE WAS AGAINST A CHILD: ATTEMPTED RAPE OF A CHILD UNDER 13. FAIR DIRECTOR FRED PERALTA SAYS NEITHER MAN TOLD THE TRUTH ON HIS JOB APPLICATION ... AND THAT IS THE BASIS FOR FIRING THEM. BUT HE ADMITS THE BACKGROUND CHECK PROCESS FAILED ... MONTOYA WAS FLAGGED BUT THE INFORMATION WAS NEVER PASSED ON ... AND NO BACKGROUND CHECK AT ALL WAS DONE ON BRANCH: 'We are going to re- evaluate the process and try to make corrections on it so this doesn't happen again. We are really concerned about this. 'They shouldn't let people like that work here with all these kids running around.''It's not very good. Doesn't protect children and their safety.' FRED PERALTA SAYS FROM NOW ON THE STATE FAIR PLANS TO PERFORM BACKGROUND CHECKS 'BEFORE' HIRING SOMEONE, INSTEAD OF THE CURRENT PRACTICE OF DOING IT 'AFTER' THE PERSON IS HIRED. REPORTING LIVE AT EXPO NEW MEXICO ... VALERIE CASTRO EYEWITNESS NEWS 4 TODAY.  « Less