Laurie Chapman, a former state Corrections Department official who has pleaded guilty to 30 counts of federal bribery charges, has been receiving unemployment benefits since shortly after she was fired by the state early this year, according to documents filed in court.

In an affidavit filed in Chapman's case, Deputy U.S. Marshal Dave Loyer wrote, "Since her state employment ended in February 2011, I learned from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions that Defendant Chapman applied for unemployment benefits in February 2011, and has been receiving unemployment benefits weekly since March of 2011."

After resigning as the facilities manager for the Corrections Department in May 2010, Chapman went to work for the state Indian Affairs Department, where she earned $63,124, a spokesman for Gov. Susana Martinez said after Chapman was indicted in April. She was fired from that post Feb. 23.

Senate Republican Leader Bill Payne of Albuquerque has sponsored bills aimed at prohibiting state officials who have been convicted of corruption charges from receiving state pensions. On Wednesday, when told about Chapman's unemployment benefits, he said changes in unemployment-benefit policies might be necessary.

"If you're fired [because of] a criminal investigation related to your job, whatever workplace rules are in place that would allow unemployment compensation for that need to be changed."

It's highly unlikely that the state Workplace Solutions Department would pay Chapman unemployment "as a courtesy," Payne said. "They probably did it because of some mandatory requirement in our rules somehow, and if that's the case, we need to change those rules."

Chapman pleaded guilty in July to 30 charges of accepting and soliciting bribes from Omni Roofing, a Santa Fe construction firm to whom Chapman steered state contracts. Chapman admitted to taking more than $237,000 total. Her plea agreement calls for her to repay the state that amount. The construction projects in question were worth some $4 million.

Chapman's sentencing is set for Oct. 28.

In his affidavit, dated Aug. 23, Loyer suggests that Chapman didn't tell the truth when she filed for her unemployment. He noted that Chapman on her claim for unemployment benefits, dated Feb. 20, said that she "did not receive, will not receive, and is not receiving payment under any type of retirement plan, pension, 401k, IRA, KEOGH, etc., based on her employment during the last 18 months."

However, Loyer wrote, Chapman withdrew her entire PERA retirement account balance, totaling more than $58,000, effective April 19. This was just days after her indictment. That money was rolled over into an Individual Retirement Account at Del Norte Federal Credit Union, Loyer's affidavit said.

"I have not been able to determine if the state Department of Workforce Solutions is aware of defendant Chapman's source of income since April 2011 from her retirement funds at Del Norte Federal Credit Union, as the state will not issue a 1099 [form] until January of 2012," the affidavit says.

Omni's owner, Anthony Moya, who cooperated with the government in the Chapman case, has not been charged in the bribery case. Moya's lawyer said he cooperated with investigators, even taping a conversation with Chapman.

Moya served time in prison for an unrelated case involving misuse of about $312,000 in tribal funds when he ran the gas station at Kewa Pueblo. He got released early from prison for his help in the Chapman case.

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com. Read his political blog at roundhouseroundup.com.