The recent extortion and conspiracy charges are only a part of the scandal surrounding Sunland Park in the last six months.

Martin Resendiz has not resigned as Mayor of the city, but also hasn't attended city council meetings after he admitted to signing several city contracts to an architectural design company while drunk. In his place, city councilman and mayor pro tem Daniel Salinas had been leading the city until his arrest Saturday night for charges of extortion and conspiracy. At the time of Resendiz's confession, Salinas spoke to KFOX 14 about the mayor's behavior.

"I don't know if he's just being reckless or if he doesn't know what he's doing but he sure is getting the city in trouble." Salinas said in October 2011.

Salinas who is currently running for Sunland Park mayor has not dropped out of the race, nor has his opponent Gerardo Hernandez who was a victim of alleged blackmail after local media received a sex tape of Hernandez.

City Manager Jaime Aguilera was also arrested on the same charges as Salinas. Aguilera has a criminal record for facilitating a bribe while working in California in 2002. He started working as city manager for Sunland Park in 2009, but stepped down after the city overturned his decision to fire the city librarian. The council voted to reappoint Aguilera in August 2011 after the former manager was fired.

In September 2011, State Representative Mary Helen Garcia requested New Mexico state government to step in and take over the Sunland Park city government after watching tempers flare at a council meeting, but Aguilera said Garcia couldn't make such a judgment after observing a single meeting.

"She attended one meeting in which there was a heated discussion and now all of a sudden the city's dysfunctional," Aguilera told KFOX 14 in September 2011.

It's still unclear if New Mexico Governor Suzanna Martinez will order a state takeover of the city.