Stating he is "like many Americans, caught up in financial crisis and facing foreclosure on his home, Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano on Wednesday owned up to stealing county property and selling items on eBay for personal profit.

New Mexico State Police confirmed they have been investigating Solano for embezzlement for at least four months, and while criminal charges have not yet been filed, they are forthcoming.

The New Mexican has learned Solano's profit from these sales is expected to be "tens of thousands of dollars," according to one source, but State Police Lt. Eric Garcia said specific dollar amounts would not be discussed until charges are filed.

"I have done some things that I should not have done and am ready to come clean and face the consequences," Solano wrote in a letter of resignation to the county.

Garcia said investigators have identified some "inconsistencies" in Solano's letter, but refused to elaborate.

In a text message, Solano declined a reporter's interview request, stating "Attorneys involved, can't comment further."

In the resignation letter, Solano, who had been considered one of the state's most open and media-friendly politicians, states he used his office to sell old protective body vests and other supplies no longer used by deputies, often to families of soldiers overseas interested in purchasing additional protection for their loved ones.

Solano was being paid an annual salary of $68,308, according to the county.

Undersheriff Robert Garcia, in Nevada visiting family, was sworn in shortly after noon Wednesday as interim sheriff by the Santa Fe County Commission, which held an emergency meeting to administer the oath of office by telephone. On Nov. 2, Robert Garcia was elected to serve his own term as sheriff starting Jan. 1.

"He is a good, longtime friend and you don't just throw all that out," said Robert Garcia, adding he learned of the case Saturday. "He will have to answer for what he did. You never expect something like this from someone you trust. It's just so disappointing. It's disgraceful for the office, really."

Maj. Ron Madrid said Solano was well liked and well respected by many in the department. When he and Capt. Robert Riggs addressed the department's employees about the matter Wednesday morning, he says it got very emotional.

"There were some tears, that's for sure," Madrid said. "It's because so many people trusted him and this shocked them. But when that shock wore off, so many people here were just really disappointed, but I told them that while this may tarnish the badge, hold their heads high and regain the trust of the community. This shouldn't reflect on all these employees, but we know it will in some ways."

The shock wasn't restricted to the Sheriff's Office.

Officers from other agencies, lawyers, judges and county administrators were all caught off guard by the developments.

"I was really taken aback by it and just saddened really," County Manager Katherine Miller said. "But I was also angry. The County Commission, the county management had trusted Sheriff Solano and worked hard with Sheriff Solano."

Miller said she is asking for a forensic audit of the Sheriff's Department and wants to make sure nobody else was involved.

State police and Solano maintain he acted alone, but investigators must determine if Solano took the property without anyone's knowledge, if he lied to the custodian of the property about what he was doing with the items or if the custodian of the property knew what was going on.

"It's very unfortunate, but I want to make sure we know exactly what occurred and exactly where our controls have lacked," Miller said. "I will be acting on that immediately."

Solano explained the actions in his morning resignation letter. He said protective body vests are turned in by officers when they get new ones or when they leave the Sheriff's Office, and normally these are destroyed and discarded.

"They are warranted for five years, and it's not recommended for law enforcement use after that. During the last few years I have taken these vests and sold them online — mostly to military personnel who wanted them for extra protection overseas. I sold vests and several other items such as old cell phones left over from when we replaced department-issued phones, flashlights, police belts, and holsters.

"This was wrong, illegal, unethical and dishonest," he wrote.

Solano wrote that his family has been stressed financially. "Unfortunately, I am just a normal man trying to keep my family afloat during these tough financial times. This is not an excuse. What I did was wrong and cannot be justified.

"I will accept the consequences for my actions. Although my home is threatened with foreclosure and I am now unemployed, I plan to pay back what I took."

State Police would not release information they have obtained from eBay or comment on who may have purchased the items Solano was selling. There are no eBay listings connected to the items remaining on eBay.

Solano has served two terms as sheriff as a Democrat and could not seek re-election because of term limits. He had been offered the possibility of continuing as undersheriff to Robert Garcia come Jan. 1, but the sheriff-elect said "that's definitely not going to happen now."

Solano ran for lieutenant governor before dropping out in January, citing, among other reasons, an inability to keep up with fundraising. He had also been rumored to be in the running for U.S. Marshal.

The New Mexico Lottery Board of Directors in August elected Solano to serve as treasurer of the seven-member board after Gov. Bill Richardson appointed him to a three-year, unpaid term on the board.

In September 2007, a legal ad appeared in The New Mexican announcing the home Solano shares with his wife, Antoinette, in Fairway Village would be sold on the courthouse steps. At the time, Solano said he was trying to sort out a mistake with the bank.

Miller said she does not believe the resignation should affect the ongoing investigation into Advantage Asphalt, the company at the center of a Sheriff's Department investigation into possible wrongdoing in connection with the Santa Fe County Public Works Department.

Miller also said the county administration was not aware until today that state police were investigating the sheriff.

State police and the First Judicial District Attorney's Office have said there is no specific timetable on charges being filed.

New Mexican staff reporters Julie Ann Grimm and Tom Sharpe contributed to this article.

Contact Geoff Grammer at 986-3076 or ggrammer@sfnewmexican.com. Read his blog at SantaFeCrime.com.