A list of the items seized from properties of Advantage Asphalt and Seal Coating owner Anthony Montoya refers to a document that indicates that County Development Review Committee member Jon Paul Romero received about $42,300 in payments from the company.

The document — which also indicates that former County Public Works director James Lujan received about $42,300 from the company — is listed on the sheriff's office inventory of items seized from Montoya's residence which was filed in District Court Thursday. According to the inventory, it was found in a sink drawer on Anthony Montoya's side of the master bathroom.

The document was used as the basis for obtaining a warrant to search Lujan's house last week. The detective on the case believed it indicated a financial relationship between Lujan and Montoya, whose company is at the center of an investigation into theft and fraud in the county Public Works Department.

But Sheriff Greg Solano said Thursday the document — listed on the inventory as "SFC CR. 84 'low water crossing' invoice. Detailed payments to Southwest Design-Jon Paul/James Lujan. $42,300 each." — doesn't necessarily prove that Romero did anything wrong, because Romero was hired to do work on the project in question. Romero lost his bid to replace term-limited District 1 County Commissioner Harry Montoya in the June primary.

Romero left a phone message for a reporter Wednesday saying he had been contracted by Advantage Asphalt to work on the project. He did not return calls seeking to clarify what Advantage Asphalt hired him to do or how much he was paid.

Interim County Manager Penny Ellis-Green said Santa Fe County hired Romero to do "road design" on the project under a "small purchase order" worth $17,859.

Other items listed in the inventory included computers, a safe, cell phones, $110,650 worth of cash and numerous documents.

According to the amended inventory, there was a discrepancy in the amount of cash seized. When the cash was counted at the Montoya residence in the presence of Montoya and his attorney, it came to $111,050. Later at the sheriff's office the cash was counted again (three times) and came to $110,650. Also, a laptop computer, which was originally included in the inventory and photographed at the residence, could not be located when the items where being catalogued later at the sheriff's office.

"It was believed it was inadvertently left behind by sheriff's office personnel or it was taken without permission by someone within the residence," according to the inventory filed Thursday in District Court. A follow-up visit was made to the house, but the computer is still missing, according to the document.

A special task force of sheriff's deputies and investigators from the state Attorney General's Office is continuing to work on the case, which began in April after a county employee blew the whistle on alleged wrongdoing in the department. No charges have been filed in the case.

Contact Phaedra Haywood at 986-3068 or phaywood@sfnewmexican.com.