District of New Mexico
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Defendant was One of the 104 Individuals Federally Charged as a Result of ATF-Led Investigation Pursued In Support of Federal “Worst of the Worst” Anti-Violence Initiative
ALBUQUERQUE – Timothy Dilley, 34, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to heroin and methamphetamine trafficking charges.
Dilley was arrested during of an ATF-led investigation that resulted in the filing of 58 federal indictments and one federal criminal complaint charging 104 Bernalillo County residents with federal firearms and narcotics trafficking offenses. The investigation began in mid-April 2016, when ATF personnel from throughout the country joined forces with federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies in New Mexico to combat the high rate of violent crime in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. The investigators utilized a number of investigative techniques, including undercover operations, historical investigation and targeting of multi-convicted felons in possession of firearms.
The investigation was undertaken in support of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies collaborate with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution primarily based on their prior criminal convictions with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.
Dilley and his co-defendant, Jonathan Aragon, 37, also of Albuquerque were arrested in July 2016, based on an indictment alleging that they participated in a drug trafficking conspiracy, and distributed methamphetamine and distribution of heroin in June 2016, in Bernalillo County, N.M. The indictment included forfeiture provisions requiring Dilley and Aragon to pay $1,400 to the United States.
During today’s change of plea hearing, Dilley pled guilty to distributing heroin and methamphetamine on June 15, 2016. In entering the guilty plea, Dilley admitted selling heroin and methamphetamine to an undercover ATF agent.
At sentencing, Dilley faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Dilley remains in federal custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
To date, three of the 104 defendants charges as a result of the ATF investigation have entered guilty pleas. The remaining defendants, including Dilley’s co-defendant, have entered not guilty pleas. Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
The case against Dilley was investigated by the Albuquerque offices of ATF and DEA and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul H. Spiers.
In addition to being prosecuted under the federal “worst of the worst” initiative, this case also is being prosecuted as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico.
The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Pharmacy Technician from Carlsbad Facing Federal Charge for Stealing Prescription Opioid PainkillersRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The DEA has arrested a pharmacy technician on a federal theft of medical products charge arising out of the theft of more than 20,000 prescription opioid tablets from the pharmacy that previously employed the technician, announced U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez and Special Agent in Charge Will R. Glaspy of DEA’s El Paso Division.
Amber Otero, 30, of Carlsbad, N.M., was arrested this morning on a criminal complaint charging her with theft of medical products. According to the criminal complaint, the DEA initiated the investigation leading to Otero’s arrest in Aug. 2016, after receiving a report of theft of loss of controlled substances from a pharmacy in Carlsbad. The pharmacy’s report alleged that 20,344 oxycodone tablets of various strengths had been stolen from the pharmacy. Otero, who had been employed as a pharmacy technician by the pharmacy, was identified as the suspected thief.
Otero is scheduled for an initial appearance in federal court in Roswell, N.M., on Sept. 27, 2016.
If convicted on the charge in the criminal complaint, Otero faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations, and criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Tactical Diversion Squad of the DEA in El Paso, Texas investigated this case. DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squads combine DEA resources with those of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in an innovative effort to investigate, disrupt and dismantle those suspected of violating the Controlled Substances Act or other appropriate federal, state or local statutes pertaining to the diversion of licit pharmaceutical controlled substances or listed chemicals.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Beck is prosecuting the case pursuant to the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico.
The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
MEDIA ADVISORY-- U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez to Deliver Luncheon Address During 2nd Annual NAACP Albuquerque Civil Rights & Diversity ConferenceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez will deliver the luncheon address during today’s session of the 2nd Annual NAACP Albuquerque Civil Rights & Diversity Conference. The U.S. Attorney will deliver his remarks, entitled “Civil Rights in New Mexico: No One is Above the Law, and No One is Below It,” at 12:00 p.m. today, Friday, September 23, 2016, at the Alvarado E Ballroom of the Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town at 800 Rio Grande Blvd. NW in Albuquerque, NM.
WHO:
U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez
WHEN:
Friday, September 23, 2016 at 12:00 p.m.
WHERE:
Alvarado E Ballroom
Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town
800 Rio Grande Blvd. NW
Albuquerque, NM 87104
OPEN PRESS
NOTE: All media must present government-issued photo I.D. (i.e., driver’s license) and valid media credentials. Inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Alyssa Ferda at 505-224-1480 (office), 505-366-1463 (cellphone) or [email protected].
El Paso, Texas, Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking Charge Arising Out of 41 Pound Cocaine Seizure in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Gerry Billy Olivas, 39, of El Paso, Texas, pled guilty today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to a cocaine trafficking charge under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Olivas was arrested on Aug. 3, 2016, on a criminal complaint alleging that he possessed approximately 18.8 kilograms (41.44 pounds) of cocaine in Otero County, N.M. According to the complaint, Olivas was arrested on Aug. 3, 2016, after U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint south of Alamogordo, N.M., allegedly seized approximately 16.2 kilograms (35.71 pounds) of cocaine from Olivas’ vehicle. The agents also seized approximately 2.6 kilograms (5.73 pounds) of cocaine from a storage unit located in El Paso that was allegedly owned by Olivas.
During today’s proceedings, Olivas pled guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty, Olivas admitted that on Aug. 3, 2016, he transported approximately 16.2 kilograms of cocaine with the intention of delivering the cocaine to another person. Olivas further admitted that he also possessed 2.6 kilograms of cocaine in a storage unit which he intended to deliver to another person.
At sentencing, Olivas faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Alamogordo station of the U.S. Border Patrol and the Las Cruces office of the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brock Taylor of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Prior Felon from Valencia County Sentenced to Prison for Violating Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Johnny Sanchez, 39, of Los Lunas, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 72 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Sanchez was arrested on Sept. 9, 2014, on a federal indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm. The indictment alleged that the crimes took place on May 29, 2013, in Valencia County, N.M.
On June 22, 2016, Sanchez pled guilty to the felon in possession of a firearm charge. In entering the guilty plea, Sanchez admitted that he was prohibited from possessing firearms on May 29, 2013, because of his previous felony convictions for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Sanchez remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Los Lunas Police Department with assistance from the 13th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rumaldo R. Armijo prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Sentenced to Twelve Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Joel Dominguez-Morales, 41, a Mexican national, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 145 months in prison for his methamphetamine trafficking conviction. Dominguez-Morales will be deported after he completes his prison sentence.
Dominguez-Morales, a permanent resident from Mexico, was arrested on May 6, 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and participation in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Lea County, N.M., in May 2015. Dominguez-Morales, along with four co-defendants, Javier Amador-Flores, 49, Maria Marcelina Cardoza-Burciaga, 40, Jose Manuel Trujillo, 41and Myrna Orozco, 32, a U.S. citizen were later indicted on a charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Lea County in May 2015.
Dominguez-Morales pled guilty to the indictment and admitted to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine on Sept. 4, 2015.
Cardoza-Burciaga and Orozco previously pled guilty to participating in the methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy charged. Amador-Flores elected to proceed to trial and was found guilty July 20, 2016. The evidence at trial established that Amador-Flores participated in the methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy by receiving and storing shipments of methamphetamine at the residence he shared with Orozco. Other members of the conspiracy distributed the methamphetamine in Lea County.
According to court documents, on May 1, 2015, an undercover agent arranged to purchase methamphetamine from Trujillo. On May 6, 2015, Trujillo informed the undercover agent that Dominguez-Morales would be delivering the methamphetamine to the agent. Thereafter, Dominguez-Morales met with the undercover agent at a restaurant in Hobbs and directed the agent to meet him at an abandoned bar in a rural area outside of Hobbs, where a woman would deliver the methamphetamine. Later that day, law enforcement officers arrested Dominguez-Morales and Cardoza-Burciaga near the abandoned bar and seized almost four kilograms of methamphetamine.
Cardoza-Burciaga was sentenced on Aug. 17, 2016. At sentencing Orozco faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and Amador-Flores faces a statutory mandatory minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in prison. Amador-Flores will be deported after completing his prison sentence.
Trujillo has yet to be arrested and is considered a fugitive. The charges against Trujillo are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Lea County Drug Task Force, with assistance from the Yoakum County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brock Taylor and Matthew Beck of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office are prosecuting the case.
The Lea County Drug Task Force is comprised of officers from the Lea County Sheriff’s Office, Hobbs Police Department, Lovington Police Department, Eunice Police Department the Tatum Police Department and the Jal Police Department, and is part of the NM HIDTA Region VI Drug Task Force. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
MEDIA ADVISORY-- U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez to Discuss Heroin and Opioid Epidemic During Tomorrow’s KANW Morning Edition BroadcastRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney’s Participation in Tomorrow’s Broadcast is One of the HOPE Initiative’s National Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week Events
ALBUQUERQUE – The New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative, a partnership between the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, is hosting a series of education events during National Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week, Sept. 19-24, 2016. Tomorrow morning, U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez will join KANW General Manager Michael Brasher during KANW’s Morning Edition broadcast to discuss the HOPE’s Initiative’s efforts to combat New Mexico’s heroin and opioid epidemic, and the events hosted by HOPE this week. Discussion details from this event will be posted to the NM HOPE Initiative website and available to the public at www.hopeinitiativenm.org.
WHO:
U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez
Michael Brasher, General Manager, KANW
WHAT:
Guest Appearance on KANW’s Morning Edition broadcast to discuss New Mexico’s Heroin and Opioid Epidemic
WHEN:
Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016, 6:00 am to 8:00 am
WHERE:
KANW 89.1FM
The HOPE Initiative was launched in Jan. 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national heroin and opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC) and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico. The Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
MEDIA ADVISORY- HOPE Initiative Partners Discuss Dangers of Heroin and Opioid Misuse and Abuse with High School Students in AlbuquerqueRead the Press Release
HOPE Initiative’s National Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week Event to be Held on September 22, 2016 at Freedom High School
ALBUQUERQUE – The New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative, a partnership between the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, is hosting a series of education events during National Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week, Sept. 19-24, 2016.
The HOPE Initiative’s Awareness Week events include two education programs at Freedom High School in Albuquerque, N.M., on Sept. 22, 2016. U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, and Brittany Haggard and Jordan Barton, Pharm. D. candidates at the UNM College of Pharmacy who are part of Generation Rx, will discuss the dangers associated with heroin and prescription opioid misuse and abuse with students at Freedom High School. Generation Rx is an educational outreach program of the UNM College of Pharmacy that educates middle school, high school and college students, parents and senior citizens about the dangers of prescription drug misuse. Discussion details from this event will be posted to the NM HOPE Initiative website and available to the public at www.hopeinitiativenm.org.
Freedom High School is part of the Albuquerque Public School system. It was founded in 1970 and established as an alternative school. The school population is small with 160 enrolled. Classes are generally 20 students or less with an emphasis on a strong relationship between advisee and advisor. Freedom High School fosters a “strong sense of community ... from a culture of tolerance and compassion, open communication, and active student engagement and participation.” Freedom High School’s mission is to provide “a small, safe, personalized learning environment where students are supported and challenged.” Its primary goal is to help all students maximize their potential and graduate high school and successfully pursue post high school goals.
WHO:
U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez
Brittany Haggard, Pharm. D. Candidate at the UNM College of Pharmacy & Chairperson of Generation Rx
Jordan Barton, Pharm. D. Candidate at the UNM College of Pharmacy & member of Generation Rx
WHAT:
Education programs about the dangers associated with heroin and prescription opioid misuse and abuse with students at Freedom High School
WHEN:
Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016
Programs to begin at 10:30 am and 11:30 am
WHERE:
Freedom High School
5200 Cutler Ave NE
Albuquerque, NM
OPEN PRESS
NOTE: All media must present government-issued photo I.D. (i.e., driver’s license) and valid media credentials. Media may take photographs and video-record as long as the students’ faces are not visible. Media may begin to arrive at 10:15 am. Inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Alyssa Ferda at 505-224-1480 or [email protected].
The HOPE Initiative was launched in Jan. 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national heroin and opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC) and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico. The Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Shiprock Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Assault ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Matthew Yazzie, 27, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Shiprock, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on assault charges.
Yazzie was arrested on Sept. 21, 2015, on a federal indictment charging him with assaulting two women and a man on June 13, 2015, in Indian Country in San Juan County, N.M. According to the indictment, the victims suffered serious bodily injuries as a result of the assaults.
On March 4, 2016, Yazzie pled guilty to the indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement. In its proffer of evidence, the United States indicated that Yazzie assaulted the victims by crashing the vehicle he was driving while under the influence of alcohol.
This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI, the New Mexico State Police and the Shiprock office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Y. Ramirez prosecuted the case.
Navajo Man from Shiprock Sentenced to Prison for Federal Child Sexual Abuse ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Harrison Cambridge, 56, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Shiprock, N.M., was sentenced this morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 42 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for his conviction on an abusive sexual contact charge. Cambridge will also be required to register as a sex offender after he completes his prison sentence.
Cambridge was arrested in Dec. 2015, on a criminal complaint alleging that he sexually abused a Navajo child under the age of 12 on Dec. 20, 2015, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in San Juan County, N.M.
Cambridge was indicted on Jan. 14, 2016, and charged with abusive sexual contact of a child under the age of 12. On March 31, 2016, Cambridge entered a guilty plea to the indictment.
This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI and the Shiprock office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Spindle as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
MEDIA ADVISORY-- DOJ Officials and Tribal Leaders to Discuss Impact of Heroin and Opioid Epidemic on New Mexico’s Tribal CommunitiesRead the Press Release
HOPE Initiative’s National Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week Event to be Held on September 20, 2016 at Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE – The New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative, a partnership between the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, is hosting a series of education events during National Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week, Sept. 19-24, 2016. Bruce G. Ohr, Associate Deputy Attorney General and Director of DOJ’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, will participate in the HOPE Initiative’s events.
The HOPE Initiative’s Awareness Week events will include a listening session during which Justice Department officials will hear from tribal leaders from the New Mexico tribes most deeply affected by the national heroin and opioid epidemic. At 2:00 pm on Sept. 20, 2016, tribal leaders and police chiefs from the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos will meet with Associate Deputy Attorney General Ohr and U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, N.M., to discuss the devastating impact heroin and opioids have had on tribal communities in northern New Mexico. Indian Health Services (IHS) physicians who provide care to New Mexico's Native American population and medical professionals from the UNM Health Science Center who provide pain and addiction training to IHS providers throughout the country will participate in the discussion.
Tribal leaders, DOJ officials, and medical professionals from the UNM Health Sciences Center will be available to meet with the media at 3:30 p.m. at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center following the listening session. Discussion details from this event will be posted to the NM HOPE Initiative website and available to the public at www.hopeinitiativenm.org.
WHO:
DOJ Officials, Tribal Leaders and UNM Medical Providers will be available to speak with the media at 3:30 pm following the listening session.
Participants in Listening Session (in formation)
Associate Deputy Attorney General Bruce G. Ohr
U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez
Gil Vigil, Executive Director Eight Northern Indian Pueblos, Inc.
Pojoaque Pueblo Governor Joseph Talachy
Santa Clara Pueblo Governor Michael Chavarria
Dr. Joanna G. Katzman, Director of the UNM Pain Clinic
Dr. Snehal R. Bhatt, UNM Psychiatry Center, Medical Director of Addictions and Substance Abuse Programs
Dr. Leonard Thomas, Acting Director and Chief Medical Officer, Albuquerque Area Office, Indian Health Services
Dr. Chris Fore, Director of IHS Telebehavioral Health Center of Excellence
Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Burge, BIA Office of Justice Services
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Louis Poitra, BIA Office of Justice Services
Police Chief Brenda Gonzalez, BIA Northern Pueblos Agency
Police Chief Travis LeBeaux, BIA Southern Pueblos Agency
Special Agent Craig, BIA Division of Drug Enforcement
FBI Supervisory Special Agent Benedict B. Bourgeois
Pojoaque Pueblo Tribal Police Chief Frank Rael
Santa Clara Pueblo Tribal Police Chief Roger Naranjo
WHAT:
Media Availability following DOJ Listening Session with Tribal Leaders
WHEN:
Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at 3:30 pm
WHERE:
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
2401 12th Street NW, Albuquerque, NM
OPEN PRESS
NOTE: All media must present government-issued photo I.D. (i.e., driver’s license) and valid media credentials. Media may begin to arrive at 3:15 pm. Inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Alyssa Ferda at 505-224-1480 (office), 505-366-1463 (cell), or [email protected].
NOTE: Reporters who cannot participate in the media availability but are interested in participating in telephone interviews conference should contact Alyssa Ferda. See contact information above.
The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid related deaths in New Mexico. The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Discharging a Firearm During Robbery of Commercial BusinessRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Raiff Harland Hayes, 25, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentence in federal court this morning to 120 months in prison for discharging a firearm during the robbery of a commercial business. Hayes will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence.
Hayes was arrested on Aug. 18, 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with violating the Hobbs Act and federal firearms laws. According to the complaint, Hayes robbed ABQ Interlock, a business located at 2444 Menaul Blvd. NE in Albuquerque, on the afternoon of July 27, 2015. According to surveillance video, Hayes pointed a firearm at two employees, fired a shot into the ceiling, placed a bag on the counter, and demanded that the employees put cash into his bag. On July 28, 2015, one of the employees identified Hayes as the robber from a photo array. Thereafter Hayes was arrested on state charges that were later dismissed in favor of federal prosecution.
Hayes was indicted on Sept. 10, 2015, and charged with violating the Hobbs Act and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence on July 27, 2015, in Bernalillo County, N.M.
On May 23, 2016, Hayes pled guilty to Count 2 of the indictment and admitted discharging a firearm during the armed robbery of a business engaged in interstate commerce.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Albuquerque and the Albuquerque Police Department with assistance from the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman Cairns prosecuted the case under a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible. Because New Mexico’s violent crime rate, on a per capita basis, is one of the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community is collaborating to target repeat offenders from counties with the highest violent crime rates, including Bernalillo County, N.M., under this initiative.
Albuquerque Community Advocate Participates in National Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week Events in Washington, D.C.Read the Press Release
Lou Duran is Affiliated with Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC) and is Regular Collaborator in HOPE Initiative’s Education and Outreach Efforts
ALBUQUERQUE – The President of the United States, Barack Obama, has designated the week of September 19-24, 2016, Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week, and has called for a “week of action” to raise awareness about the public health crisis caused by the growing heroin and opioid epidemic. As part of the national awareness week, National Drug Control Policy Director Michael Botticelli and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today hosted a roundtable conversation in the White House with parents from across the country whose family members have been affected by the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic. Lou Duran, of Albuquerque, N.M., was one of 14 parents who participated in the round table. Following the roundtable conversation, Ms. Duran was one of two parents who joined Director Botticelli, Secretary Vilsack and U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch for a telephonic press conference to discuss the roundtable conversation.
Ms. Duran lost her 19-year-old son Michael to a heroin overdose in 2011, after a 2.5 year struggle with addiction. Michael was a high school athlete who was prescribed opioids for a sports-related injury, got addicted, and moved on to heroin. Following Michael’s death, Ms. Duran decided that no other mother should never suffer the loss of a child to addiction, and began her personal campaign: “his face, my voice.”
Ms. Duran has devoted the last five years to being an advocate in the community by bringing awareness and education to youth and their families, and shedding light on the stigma and shame associated with addiction. Her efforts have included statewide presentations in various community events, school presentations, treatment centers, community groups, seminars, conferences, as well as participating in three documentaries.
A month after losing Michael, Lou joined Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), which provided a platform for her advocacy. HAC is a nonprofit, grassroots group of parents and grandparents who advocate for those who struggle with addiction and the families of those who struggle. Ms. Duran and her friend Jennifer Weiss-Burke, who lost her son Cameron to a heroin overdose in 2011 and who founded HAC and Serenity Mesa, a substance abuse treatment center for adolescents and young adults, have collaborated with the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative from the time it was launched in Jan. 2015. Ms. Duran and Ms. Weiss-Burke were part of the inspiration that led the U.S. Attorney to approach Chancellor Paul B. Roth of the UNM Health Sciences Center about partnering up in the HOPE Initiative.
“Years before the rest of the country realized that the opioid epidemic was looming, Lou Duran, Jennifer Weiss-Burke and HAC were using their personal stories to draw attention to this critically important issue. They understood that the first step towards defeating this devastating epidemic was to make our communities’ aware of its existence and the devastating impact it was having on all aspects of our society,” said U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez. “The HOPE Initiative continues to be inspired by Lou, Jennifer and HAC, and we are proud to partner with them on HOPE’s education and prevention efforts.”
The HOPE Initiative is a partnership established by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid related deaths in New Mexico. The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
White House Awareness Week Press Call
Roswell Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Gilbert Nick Montes, 36, of Roswell, N.M., pled guilty this morning in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to federal methamphetamine trafficking charges under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Montes was arrested on Nov. 30, 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with committing a methamphetamine trafficking offense in Chaves County, N.M. According to the complaint, on July 31, 2015, Montes received four pounds of methamphetamine, which he intended to distribute to other people.
Montes was subsequently indicted on March 8, 2016, and was charged with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. During today’s proceedings, Montes pled guilty to indictment, and admitted conspiring with others to distribute four pounds of methamphetamine.
At sentencing, Montes faces a statutory minimum penalty of ten years and maximum of life in federal prison. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Roswell office of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy M. Castellano of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
Rio Rancho Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Heroin Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Frances Chavez, 32, of Rio Rancho, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to federal heroin trafficking charges. Under the terms of her plea agreement, Chavez will be sentenced within the range of 15 to 27 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
Chavez was arrested on Dec. 29, 2015, on a seven-count indictment charging her with heroin trafficking offenses. The indictment alleged that Chavez distributed heroin on five occasions in Oct. 2015, and possessed heroin with intent to distribute on Nov. 10, 2015. The indictment alleged that Chavez committed these drug trafficking crimes in Sandoval County, N.M. The indictment also charged Chavez with maintaining a place for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing heroin from Oct. 6, 2015 through Nov. 10, 2015, in Bernalillo County, N.M.
During today’s proceedings, Chavez pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that she sold heroin on five occasions in Oct. 2015, from her home in Rio Rancho. Chavez further admitted that on Nov. 10, 2015, law enforcement agents discovered a distribution amount of heroin and drug paraphernalia while executing a federal search warrant at her residence. Chavez admitted that that she used her Rio Rancho residence for the purpose of distributing heroin.
Chavez remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel R. Meyers, Shaheen P. Torgoley and Stephen R. Kotz are prosecuting the case pursuant to the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico.
The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Prior Felon from Roswell Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Enrique Chavarria, 33, of Roswell, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to violating the federal firearms laws by unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition. The guilty plea was entered without the benefit of a plea agreement.
Chavarria was arrested on July 21, 2016, in Chaves County, N.M., by the U.S. Marshals Service, and was charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. At the time, Chavarria was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of possession of methamphetamine and cocaine with intent to distribute.
During today’s proceedings, Chavarria pled guilty to a felony information charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. At sentencing, Chavarria faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces offices of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Beck of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
National Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week Set for September 18-24, 2016Read the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Following President Obama’s announcement of a “week of action” to raise awareness about the public health crisis caused by the growing heroin and opioid epidemic, U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch has designated the week of September 18, 2016, as National Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week. U.S. Attorneys throughout the country are sponsoring events geared towards increasing awareness and developing solutions to the growing epidemic of heroin and opioid abuse in our country during the awareness week.
The importance of this national awareness effort is underscored by devastating impact of the heroin and opioid epidemic. Nationwide heroin overdoses have increased 244 percent between 2007 and 2013. Many of the new heroin users are youths, with an average age of 24 ½ years old for first-time users. Nationwide, on an average day, 78 people will die from an opioid-related overdose.
In New Mexico, the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative, a partnership between the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will host a series of education events during National Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week. Bruce G. Ohr, Associate Deputy Attorney General and Director of DOJ’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, will participate in the HOPE Initiative’s events.
“The Justice Department wants to highlight the incredible work that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its HOPE partners are doing to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic in New Mexico,” said Associate Deputy Attorney General Bruce G. Ohr. “The hardest-hit communities in New Mexico, including many tribal communities, are benefitting from the HOPE initiative’s comprehensive approach, which looks beyond enforcement to incorporate prevention and treatment. HOPE is a model for communities across the nation suffering from this deadly epidemic.”
The HOPE Initiative’s events will include discussions with tribal leaders, high school students and student athletes, and law enforcement officials, to offer solutions and help raise awareness. There will also be discussions with local law enforcement agencies and medical professionals about new treatment options and delivery methods for overdose medications such as Naloxone. Discussion details from the events will be posted to the NM HOPE Initiative website and available to the public at www.hopeinitiativenm.org.
“We are committed to improving the health and well-being of all New Mexicans,” said Paul B. Roth, MD, MS, Chancellor for Health Sciences at the University of New Mexico. “This partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office presents us with an extraordinary opportunity to help reduce opioid overdose deaths and help alleviate the awful personal and social costs that accompany drug dependency.”
“In 2014, New Mexico had the second-highest per capita overdose death rate in the country. Our community has acknowledged that we are in an epidemic, and we are coming together to take control of our future and our destiny,” said U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez for the District of New Mexico. “Through the HOPE Initiative, we are pursuing a comprehensive strategy to deal with, and defeat, this epidemic, and we will highlight our efforts in the coming week.”The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid related deaths in New Mexico. The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
MEDIA ADVISORY-- New Mexico Hope Initiative to Launch Naloxone ProjectRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch has designated the week of September 18, 2016, as National Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week, and U.S. Attorneys throughout the country are sponsoring events geared towards increasing awareness and developing solutions to the growing epidemic of heroin and opioid abuse in our country during the awareness week.
In New Mexico, the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative, a partnership between the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will host a series of education events during National Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week. Bruce G. Ohr, Associate Deputy Attorney General and Director of DOJ’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, will participate in the HOPE Initiative’s events.
One key component in the fight against addiction and overdose death is the availability of life-saving medications like Naloxone. Naloxone is a prescription drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose; it is easy to administer and safe to use. U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez and Dr. Joanna G. Katzman, Director of the UNM Pain Clinic, will launch the HOPE Initiative’s Naloxone Project during a press conference at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, September 19, 2016 at the Hotel Andaluz in Albuquerque, N.M. The goal of the Naloxone Project is to enlist law enforcement agencies throughout New Mexico to join HOPE’s life-saving efforts by implementing Naloxone protocols and carrying Naloxone. U.S. Attorney Martinez and Dr. Katzman will be joined by Bernalillo County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins, Albuquerque City Council President Dan Lewis, Albuquerque City Councilor Diane Gibson, and representatives of law enforcement agencies that are carrying Naloxone, or are seeking to do so. Discussion details from this event will be posted to the NM HOPE Initiative website and available to the public at www.hopeinitiativenm.org.
WHO:
Associate Deputy Attorney General Bruce G. Ohr
U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez
Dr. Joanna G. Katzman, Director of the UNM Pain Clinic
Bernalillo County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins
Albuquerque City Council President Dan Lewis
Albuquerque City Councilor Diane Gibson
Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Burge, BIA
Group Supervisor Richard Stark, DEA
New Mexico State Police Chief Pete N. Kassetas
Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales III
Rio Arriba Sheriff James Lujan
Santa Fe County Sheriff Robert Garcia
Taos County Sheriff Jeffrey Hogrefe
Rio Rancho Police Chief Michael Geier
Captain Randy Sanchez, Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Office
Major Gabriel Gonzales, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office
Rio Rancho Deputy Chief Paul Rogers
Mark Payne, Executive Director of New Mexico HIDTA
Jack Jones, Executive Director, New Mexico Sheriffs Association
Capt. Sonny Leeper, Capt. APD (Retired)
Participant List in Formation
WHAT:
Press conference to announce HOPE’s Naloxone Project
WHEN:
Monday, September 19, 2016 at 10:00 am
WHERE:
Hotel Andaluz (downtown Albuquerque) – Majorca Room
125 Second Street N.W., Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102
(hotel entrance at southeast corner of 2nd & Copper)
complimentary valet parking are located on Copper Street
Note: Additional street parking is available near hotel/downtown area
OPEN PRESS
NOTE: All media must present government-issued photo I.D. (i.e., driver’s license) and valid media credentials. Media may begin to arrive at 9:45 am. Inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Alyssa Ferda at 505-224-1480 or [email protected].
The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid related deaths in New Mexico. The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Navajo Man from Newcomb Sentenced to Ten Years for Discharging a Firearm During a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Eli Hunt, 37, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Newcomb, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 120 months in prison for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Hunt will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence.
Hunt was arrested in Dec. 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and burglary. The complaint alleged that he committed the crimes on Dec. 3, 2015, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in San Juan County, N.M. According to the complaint, Hunt broke into a home in Little Water, N.M., and threatened a man and woman who lived there with a tire iron and a firearm. Hunt also fired shots into the air as he chased the victims around their residence and property while threatening to kill them.
Hunt was subsequently indicted on Dec. 17, 2015, and was charged with aggravated burglary, assault with a dangerous weapon, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
On May 24, 2016, Hunt pled guilty to Count 3 of the indictment charging him with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. In entering his plea, Hunt admitted discharging a firearm while assaulting a person with a deadly weapon.
This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI and the Shiprock office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niki Tapia-Brito prosecuted the case.
Grants Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Richard J. Dates, 71, of Grants, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 120 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for his conviction on a distribution of child pornography charge. Dates will be required to register as a sex offender after completing his prison sentence. Dates also was ordered to pay $1,000.00 to each of eight victims who requested restitution.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez commended the exemplary investigative efforts of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents responsible for the investigation leading to Dates’ conviction. The U.S. Attorney added, “The victims in these cases are children who cannot protect themselves from harm. We greatly appreciate the time and resources HSI dedicates to bringing individuals who exploit children to justice.”
“This case shows again how HSI works with its law enforcement partners to investigate and get internet child pornographers out of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Waldemar Rodriguez of HSI El Paso.
Dates was arrested in Grants in Aug. 2012, on a criminal complaint charging him with possession of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The complaint alleged that Dates engaged in this conduct from Aug. 2009 through Aug. 2012. Dates was arrested by HSI agents after an investigation by HSI in Boston, Mass., identified him as an individual who was distributing child pornography images through the internet.
Dates was indicted in Sept. 2012, and was charged with possessing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct from Aug. 2009 through Aug. 2012. A superseding indictment was filed in Sept. 2013, charging Dates with two counts of distribution of child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography, and possession of visual depictions of child pornography. A second superseding indictment was filed in June 2014, charging Dates with one count of advertising child pornography, three counts of distribution of child pornography, two counts of receipt of child pornography, and seven counts of possession of child pornography.
On Aug. 3, 2015, Dates pled guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography, and admitted distributing child pornography on June 15, 2011.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of HSI and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob A. Wishard and Marisa A. Ong as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Roswell Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Gerald Sentell, 45, of Roswell, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to methamphetamine trafficking charges.
Sentell is one of 41 individuals charged in Sept. 2015, with drug trafficking offenses as a result of an eight-month multi-agency investigation by the FBI, the DEA, Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force, Roswell Police Department, Chaves County Sheriff’s Office and New Mexico State Police.
The investigation, which was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, initially targeted a drug trafficking organization (DTO) allegedly led by Joseph Ray Mendiola, 35, of Roswell, that allegedly distributed methamphetamine in Chaves County. It later expanded to include drug traffickers who allegedly supplied methamphetamine to the Mendiola DTO and other drug traffickers operating in Chaves County. The OCDETF program combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations.
Sentell, Mendiola and 14 co-defendants were charged in a 24-count indictment filed on Sept. 22, 2015. Count 1 of the Indictment charged 15 of the 16 defendants with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine between June 2015 and July 2015. Count 2 charged three defendants with conspiracy to distribute cocaine in July 2015. Counts 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 charged certain defendants with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute in July 2015. Counts 8 through 24 charged certain defendants with using communications devices (telephones) to facilitate drug trafficking crimes. All crimes charged in the federal indictment occurred in Chaves County.
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers executed 14 federal search warrants for 10 residences in Roswell, one residence in Dexter, N.M., and three vehicles. During the execution of those search warrants, the officers seized approximately 5600 grams of methamphetamine, $35,960.00 in cash, and multiple firearms including two assault rifles.
During today’s proceedings, Sentell pled guilty to conspiracy, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and use of a communication device to facilitate a drug trafficking crime. In entering the guilty plea, Sentell admitted to conspiring with his co-defendants to distribute methamphetamine in Chaves County and using a communication device, a telephone, to further commission that crime from June 2015 through July 31, 2015. Sentell further admitted that on July 17, 2015, he possessed 58.5 grams of methamphetamine and distributed it to a co-defendant.
At sentencing, Sentell faces a statutory minimum penalty of ten years and a maximum of life in prison. Sentell remains in federal custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
To date, six other defendants charged in the federal indictment have entered guilty pleas. The remaining defendants have entered not guilty pleas to the indictment. Charges in indictments and criminal complaints are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The federal cases were investigated by the Roswell office of FBI’s Albuquerque Division, the Las Cruces office of DEA, Roswell Police Department, Chaves County Sheriff’s Office, the Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force, the New Mexico State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy M. Castellano and John Balla are prosecuting the federal cases.
The HIDTA Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force is comprised of investigators from the Roswell Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI and the Chaves County Sherriff’s Office. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
Former Judge-Disbarred Lawyer Sentenced to Prison for Federal Fraud ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A former New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) and disbarred lawyer was sentenced to federal prison today for her conviction on Social Security fraud and wire fraud charges, announced U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, Special Agent in Charge Terry Wade of the FBI’s Albuquerque Division, and Special Agent in Charge Robert Feldt of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General.
Juanita Roibal-Bradley, 61, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for defrauding the Social Security Administration (SSA) of more than $40,000.00 and an estate and its beneficiaries of almost $572,000.00. Roibal-Bradley was ordered to pay $17,863.40 in restitution to the SSA; the amount of restitution Roibal-Bradley will pay to the estate heirs will be determined by the court at a later time. Roibal-Bradley also was ordered to perform 40 hours of community service.
Roibal-Bradley was charged in a 23-count indictment on Sept. 10, 2015, with one count of defrauding the SSA, twelve counts of wire fraud and ten counts of money laundering. According to the indictment, between Sept. 2007 and March 2011, Roibal-Bradley defrauded the SSA of more than $40,000.00 in disability benefits by failing to disclose that she was employed as a mediator and supervising attorney by the New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration and thus not entitled to disability benefits. Roibal-Bradley previously had served as an ALJ at the New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration from 2003 to 2007.
The indictment’s wire fraud counts alleged that between March 2012 and June 2013, Roibal-Bradley devised and executed a scheme to defraud an estate and its beneficiaries of almost $571,948.98. In furtherance of the scheme, Roibal-Bradley falsely represented herself to be an attorney authorized to practice law and agreed to provide legal services in administering an estate at a time when New Mexico Supreme Court had prohibited her from the private practice of law. The Court subsequently disbarred Roibal-Bradley in March 2014. As part of the scheme, Roibal-Bradley falsely promised to distribute the estate’s funds to its beneficiaries but instead transferred the funds into her personal bank account and used wire transfers to facilitate the transfer of funds. The indictment alleges that, between April 2012 and Aug. 2012, Roibal-Bradley facilitated eleven wire transfers ranging in amounts of $5,000.00 to $389,503.33 from the estate’s bank account to her personal bank account.
The indictment also charged Roibal-Bradley with laundering the proceeds she derived from her wire fraud activity by transferring those assets to others, including members of her family. The indictment alleges that Roibal-Bradley facilitated eleven transfers of proceeds from her wire fraud activities ranging in amounts of $12,000.00 to $131,492.77 between May 2012 and July 2012.
On Feb. 2, 2016, Roibal-Bradley pled guilty to defrauding the SSA and to the twelve wire fraud charges. In her plea agreement, Roibal-Bradley admitted she applied for SSA disability benefit payments in Sept. 2011, and claimed that she had a disability that prevented her from working. The SSA continued to pay Roibal-Bradley disability benefits between March 2008 and March 2011, even though she was working full-time as a mediator and supervising attorney for the New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration. In entering her guilty plea, Roibal-Bradley admitted that she failed to notify the SSA that she was capable of full-time gainful employment.
Roibal-Bradley’s plea agreement also details the scheme by which she defrauded an estate and its heirs of almost $572,000.00. In the plea agreement, Roibal-Bradley admitted that she did not tell the administrator of the estate that she was prohibited from engaging in the private practice of law. She also admitted fraudulently transferring $571,948.98 from the estate’s bank accounts into her own bank account between April 2012 and Aug. 2012.
The case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General based on a referral from the Disciplinary Board of the New Mexico Supreme Court. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Holland S. Kastrin and Kristopher N. Houghton prosecuted the case.
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Two Fast-Food Restaurants and Brandishing a Firearm During the RobberiesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Sheldon Harris, 28, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to violating the Hobbs Act by robbing two Albuquerque-area fast food restaurants and to brandishing a firearm during the robberies.
Harris was arrested on April 20, 2016, on a ten-count indictment charging him with: robbing Albuquerque-area Subway restaurants on Aug. 22, 2015, Sept. 6, 2015, Sept. 8, 2016, Sept. 26, 2015, and Oct. 5, 2015; robbing Albuquerque-area Blake’s Lotaburger restaurants on Oct. 1, 2015, Oct. 5, 2015, Oct. 11, 2015, and Oct. 18, 2015; and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence from Aug. 22, 2015 through Oct. 18, 2015. According to the indictment, Harris committed the crimes in Bernalillo County, N.M.
During today’s proceedings, Harris pled guilty to Counts 8 and 9 of the indictment, each charging him with violating the Hobbs Act by robbing a business engaged in interstate commerce. He also pled guilty to Count 10, charging him with brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. In entering the guilty plea, Harris admitted that on Oct. 11, 2015 and Oct. 18, 2015, he robbed Blake’s Lotaburger restaurants at gunpoint. Harris further admitted that when he robbed the Blake’s Lotaburger restaurants as well as several other restaurants in the Albuquerque-area, he used a firearm.
At sentencing, Harris faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the Hobbs Act robbery charge. He also faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 84 months in prison for brandishing a firearm that must be served consecutive to the sentence imposed on the robbery charge. Harris remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel A. Hurtado is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez Pays Tribute to Alamogordo Police Officer Clint CorvinusRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez paid tribute to Officer Clint Corvinus of the Alamogordo Police Department this morning during the Officer’s public memorial service at the Tays Event Center of the New Mexico State University in Alamogordo, N.M. The U.S. Attorney delivered the following remarks:
“On behalf of the Attorney General of the United States of America, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the entire federal law enforcement community, I want to express our deepest condolences.
“Today we come together to grieve for Officer Corvinus and, to the extent possible, to comfort his family and loved ones as they struggle to deal with the profound void left by his passing.
“In New Mexico, the law enforcement community knows no divide – state, county, local, tribal and federal – we are all just law enforcement. We all work together and support each other every day. On this day, we all share the sorrow of losing Officer Corvinus.
“With the permission of the family and [Alamogordo Police] Chief [Daron] Syling, I will read a letter of condolence from U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch.”
USAG Corvinus Letter
Christopher Cook Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Firearm on Jan. 3, 2015, When he Shot APD Officer Lou GolsonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Christopher Cook, 38, of Albuquerque, N.M., pleaded guilty this morning in U.S. District Court to violating the federal firearms laws by unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition on Jan. 3, 2015, the day he shot and seriously injured Officer Lou Golson of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). The guilty plea was entered without the benefit of a plea agreement. At sentencing, Cook faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in prison unless the court determines that Cook is an armed career criminal. In that event, Cook will face an enhanced sentence of a statutory mandatory minimum of 15 years to a maximum of life in prison.
Cook previously pled guilty in the Second Judicial District Court for the State of New Mexico to state charges arising from the Jan. 3, 2015, shooting of Officer Golson, including shooting at or from a motor vehicle (great bodily harm), aggravated battery on a police officer and receiving or transferring a motor vehicle. Cook was sentenced on the state charges on July 10, 2016, to 20 years in state custody.
Cook’s guilty pleas to both federal and state charges were the result of a collaborative investigative effort involving the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office, ATF, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, APD, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, and New Mexico State Police.
In announcing today’s guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez said, “We cannot and will not tolerate violence against law enforcement officers. Those who seek to harm the courageous men and women who put their lives on the line to safeguard us and protect our communities are, by definition, the ‘worst of the worst’ offenders. The entire law enforcement community – federal, state, county, local and tribal – is committed to working collaboratively to thoroughly and completely investigate these individuals, and the District Attorneys and I are united in our resolve to prosecute them – in both the federal and state judicial systems – to the fullest extent of the law.”
Second Judicial District Attorney Kari E. Brandenburg said, “The ‘worst of the worst’ initiative is proving to be a very successful, cooperative endeavor between state and federal law enforcement. This partnership is making our community safer.”
“Today’s guilty plea puts another violent felon behind bars where he belongs. We will aggressively enforce the federal firearms laws targeting these criminals,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas G. Atteberry of the Phoenix Field Division of ATF. “That is why we will continue to work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute violent criminals like the defendant in this case.”
“Guns and violent felons are a dangerous mix. When career criminals get their hands on weapons, nobody is safe, including the brave men and women who put on a badge to protect us every day,” said Special Agent in Charge Terry Wade of the Albuquerque Division of the FBI. “The FBI is proud to have worked closely with our partners on this case, and we remain committed to rooting out violent and repeat offenders from our communities.”
“We will never be able to erase the haunting images of Christopher Cook attempting to kill Officer Lou Golson from our minds,” APD Chief Gorden E. Eden, Jr. “We are so very thankful to our law enforcement partners and the ‘worst of the worst’ initiative for ensuring this repeat offender is off the streets and will serve substantial time for his crimes in federal prison.”
Cook initially was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in a criminal complaint filed by ATF on Jan. 6, 2015. The criminal complaint alleged that Cook unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition on Jan. 3, 2015, when Cook shot APD Officer Golson during a traffic stop in Bernalillo County, N.M. On March 10, 2015, Cook was indicted on that same charge. According to court records, Cook was prohibited from possessing either firearms or ammunition on Jan. 3, 2015, because he previously has been convicted of at least eleven felony offenses, including two involving attempted aggravated assaults on peace officers.
During today’s proceedings, Cook entered a guilty plea to the indictment. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Albuquerque Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Albuquerque office of the FBI, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and the New Mexico State Police with assistance from the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Walsh is prosecuting the case.
Cook is being prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution based on their prior criminal convictions with the goal of removing them from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible. Because New Mexico’s violent crime rates, on a per capita basis, are amongst the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community is collaborating to target repeat offenders with significant criminal conviction records from counties with the highest violent crime rates, including Bernalillo County, under this initiative.
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Armed Robbery ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Martin Huerta, 43, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty this morning in federal court to an armed bank robbery charge. The guilty plea was entered without the benefit of a plea agreement.
Huerta was arrested in March 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him and four co-defendants, Greg Miera, 50, Christian Herrera, 20, Isaiah Gallegos, 20, and Christopher Gallegos, 31, all of Albuquerque, with bank robbery. According to the complaint, a source identified the co-defendants as the individuals involved in robbing the US Bank branch located at 5620 Wyoming Blvd. NE in Albuquerque, on March 30, 2016. The complaint alleged that Albuquerque Police Department (APD) officers conducted surveillance as a vehicle with four men pulled up to the US Bank on the afternoon of March 30, 2016. The complaint further alleged that three of the men remained outside in the vehicle while the fourth entered the US Bank, threatened to shoot the bank employees, and demanded that two bank tellers place cash into a plastic bag.
Huerta, Miera, Herrera, Isaiah Gallegos and Christopher Gallegos were subsequently indicted on an armed bank robbery charge on April 27, 2016.
During today’s proceedings, Huerta entered a guilty plea to the indictment. At sentencing, Huerta faces a statutory maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Huerta remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
Huerta’s four co-defendants have entered pleas of not guilty to the indictment. Charges in complaints and indictments are merely accusations. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec is prosecuting the case.
California Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Cocaine Trafficking Conviction in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Neisha Necel Williams, 36, of Los Angeles, Calif., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for her cocaine trafficking conviction.
Williams was arrested in May 2015, on a criminal complaint charging her with a cocaine trafficking offense after the DEA seized .70 kilograms (1.54 pounds) of cocaine from her during an interdiction investigation at the Greyhound Bus Station in Albuquerque on May 18, 2015. The cocaine was concealed in a bundle underneath Williams’ clothes. Williams was indicted on June 9, 2015, and charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
On April 18, 2016, Williams pled guilty to a felony information charging her with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty plea, Williams admitted that on May 18, 2015, while traveling through Albuquerque on a Greyhound bus, she possessed .70 kilograms of cocaine, which was wrapped in a bundle and concealed underneath her clothes. Williams further admitted that she was to be paid for transporting the cocaine from Los Angeles to Macon, Ga.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Prison for Participating in the Armed Robbery of a Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Frank Gallegos, 31, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 71 months in prison for violating the Hobbs Act. Gallegos will be on supervised release for three years following his prison sentence.
Gallegos and five other Albuquerque residents were charged in Jan. 2015, with violating the Hobbs Act and federal firearms laws in a five-count indictment. Count 1 charged Gallegos, Raymond Castillo, 27, Reyes Lujan, 27, Daniel Maestas, 36, Johnny Ramirez, 31, and Henry Lujan, 23, with conspiring to violate the Hobbs Act. Count 2 charged the six men with violating the Hobbs Act by robbing a Walmart Store in Bernalillo County, N.M., on Oct. 29, 2014. Count 3 charged Castillo with brandishing a firearm during the robbery of the Walmart store, and Count 4 charges Maestas with using and carrying a firearm during the robbery. Count 5 charged Ramirez, Gallegos, Reyes Lujan and Henry Lujan with aiding and abetting the use of firearms during the robbery.
A seven-count superseding indictment was filed on May 28, 2015, charging the original six defendants and adding Reynaldo Marquez, 26, as a new defendant and two new counts. The two new charges in the superseding indictment charged Marquez and Castillo with interfering with interstate commerce by robbing a 7-11 convenience store located in Bernalillo County, N.M., on Dec. 7, 2014, and Marquez with discharging a firearm during the robbery of the 7-11 convenience store on Dec. 7, 2015.
On March 30, 2016, Gallegos pled guilty to Count 2 of the superseding indictment charging him with aiding and abetting an interference with interstate commerce. In entering the guilty plea, Gallegos admitted that on Oct. 28 and 29, 2014, he acted as a lookout for the armed robbery of the Walmart located at 400 Eubank NE in Albuquerque.
Gallegos’ six co-defendants previously have entered guilty pleas. Reyes Lujan was sentenced on March 8, 2016, to 71 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The five remaining co-defendants are in custody pending their sentencing hearings.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Norman Cairns and Samuel A. Hurtado are prosecuting this case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible. In recognition that New Mexico’s violent crime rates, on a per capita basis, are amongst the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community has come together to is collaborating the initiative is significantly exceed the national average.
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Heroin Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Christopher Craig, 26, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to a federal heroin trafficking charge.
Craig was arrested in Feb. 2016, on a criminal complaint charging that he possessed heroin with intention of distributing it on Feb. 17, 2016, in Sandoval County, N.M. According to the complaint, Craig attempted to sell approximately 205.8 grams of heroin to law enforcement officers. At the time of his arrest, Craig was on supervised release for a prior conviction for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime from 2010. Craig was subsequently indicted on March 8, 2016, on the same charge.
During today’s proceedings, Craig pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that on Feb. 17, 2016, he arranged to sell a half pound of heroin in exchange for $5,000. Craig further admitted that when he met with the purchaser he was arrested and found to be in possession of 205.8 grams of heroin.
At sentencing, Craig faces a minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. According to the plea agreement, Craig’s sentence will run concurrent to the sentence he will receive on the supervised release violation for his prior conviction. Craig remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Presiliano Torrez is prosecuting the case pursuant to the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico.
The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Rufus Phelps Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE –Rufus Phelps, 26, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The guilty plea was entered without the benefit of a plea agreement.
The U.S. Marshals Service arrested Phelps on Feb. 5, 2016, on a federal criminal complaint charging him with unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition on Feb. 4, 2016, in Bernalillo County, N.M. According to the complaint, Albuquerque Police Department (APD) officers arrested Phelps on state charges on Feb. 4, 2016, after observing Phelps in a parked car, recognizing him from prior encounters, and learning that there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
Phelps was indicted on Feb. 24, 2016, and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition on Feb. 4, 2016. The indictment was subsequently superseded on March 9, 2016, to add an additional charge against Phelps for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition on Sept. 11, 2015. Phelps was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of unlawful taking of a motor vehicle.
During today’s proceedings, Phelps entered a guilty plea to the superseding indictment. At sentencing, Phelps faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Albuquerque Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eva M. Fontanez is prosecuting the case.
The case is being prosecuted as part of the federal “worst of the worst” anti-violence initiative. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior felony convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible. Because New Mexico’s violent crime rates, on a per capita basis, are amongst the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community is collaborating to target repeat offenders from counties with the highest violent crime rates, including Bernalillo County, under this initiative.
U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez to Host 24th Annual Four Corners Indian Country Conference in Isleta PuebloRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez of the District of New Mexico is hosting the 24th Annual Four Corners Indian Country Conference at the Isleta Pueblo Hotel and Conference Center in Isleta Pueblo, N.M., on Sept. 7-9, 2016. U.S. Attorney Martinez will be joined by co-hosts U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo of the District of Arizona, U.S. Attorney John W. Huber of the District of Utah, and Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer of the District of Colorado.
The annual conference, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime and the U.S. Attorneys for the Districts of Arizona, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico, promotes a collaborative approach to addressing the needs of victims of crime in Indian Country in the Four Corners’ region. In addition to representatives of the four U.S. Attorney’s Offices and other DOJ agencies, conference participants will include tribal leaders, victim advocates and social services providers, tribal judges and prosecutors, and law enforcement officers.
The conference is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. on Sept. 7, 2016, with an opening ceremony that will include welcoming remarks by the Honorable Eddie Paul Torres, Sr., Governor of Isleta Pueblo, and the U.S. Attorneys. The opening ceremony also will include a vocal performance by Kansas K. Begaye, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who is a Native American award winning recording artist and a former (2013) Miss Indian World. The second day of the conference, Sept. 8, 2016, will begin with a flute performance by Robert Tree Cody of the Lakota Nation, a five-time Native American Music Award winner.
This annual conference, which is held in each of the four districts on a rotating basis, exemplifies the Justice Department’s commitment to addressing the high rates of victimization of our women and children in our Native communities. The conference theme – “Serving Victims: Restoring Hope” – embodies what the Department of Justice is striving to achieve in Indian Country; helping victims overcome trauma, and preventing these crimes from reoccurring in the future. The conference provides a forum for developing strategies for assisting victims of crime and tackling other serious public safety challenges confronting our Native communities. It provides an opportunity for DOJ officials to hear from members of our Native communities about their needs and to work with them to address their unique challenges.
OPEN MEDIA: The opening ceremony, which will be held in the Grand Ballroom of the Isleta Pueblo Hotel and Conference Center from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, will be open to the media. Reporters who wish to attend the opening ceremony and/or schedule interviews with the U.S. Attorneys should contact Alyssa Ferda at 505-224-1480 (office), 505-366-1463 (mobile), or [email protected].
Mexican National Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine in Eddy CountyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Israel Mireles-Rivera, 35, a Mexican national unlawfully in the United States and residing in Hagerman, N.M., was sentenced this morning in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 108 months in federal prison for his methamphetamine trafficking conviction. Mireles-Rivera will be deported after completing his prison sentence.
Mireles-Rivera and co-defendant Ediberto Guzman, 63, of Carlsbad, N.M., were arrested in Jan. 2014, on a three-count indictment charging them with methamphetamine trafficking and firearms offenses. Count 1 of the indictment charged the two men with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Feb. 2013 through Oct. 2013 in Eddy and Chaves Counties, N.M. Counts 2 and 3 charged Mireles-Rivera with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being an alien illegally in possession of a firearm.
According to the indictment, between Feb. 2013 and Oct. 2013, Mireles-Rivera provided methamphetamine to Guzman on multiple occasions, and Guzman sold the methamphetamine to others, including a person who was working with law enforcement officers. It also alleged that on Oct. 17, 2013, Mireles-Rivera had more than 180 grams of methamphetamine hidden in a vehicle outside his residence and a smaller amount of methamphetamine inside his residence.
On Jan. 16, 2015, Mireles-Rivera pled guilty to a two-count felony information charging him with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In entering his guilty plea, Mireles-Rivera admitted that between Feb. 2013 and Oct. 2013, he was involved in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. During this period, Mireles-Rivera supplied methamphetamine to an individual who sold the drugs to others. Mireles-Rivera also admitted that subsequent to his arrest, law enforcement officers seized approximately eight ounces of methamphetamine when they searched his house and vehicle.
Co-defendant Guzman pled guilty to the conspiracy count of the indictment on April 25, 2014. He was sentenced on June 26, 2014, to 48 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the DEA, the HIDTA Region VI Pecos Valley Drug Task Force and the Carlsbad Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy M. Castellano of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
The HIDTA Region VI Pecos Valley Drug Task Force is comprised of officers from the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, Carlsbad Police Department, Artesia Police Department, New Mexico Probation and Parole, and the 5th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
El Paso Man Facing Federal Charge for Using Interstate Communications to Threaten Las Cruces Police OfficersRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Sean Stinson, 32, of El Paso, Texas, made his initial appearance today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., on a criminal complaint charging him with using interstate communications to threaten the lives and safety of Las Cruces Police Department (LCPD) officers. Stinson remains in custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, which have not yet been scheduled.
Stinson was arrested on Sept. 2, 2016, for allegedly making telephone calls from El Paso to individuals in Las Cruces during which he threatened the lives of LCPD officers. According to the criminal complaint, Stinson allegedly had several telephone calls, some of which were recorded, with LCPD officers during which Stinson allegedly threatened to shoot, kill and otherwise injure specific officers. It also alleges that, during one call, Stinson threatened to station himself at the LCPD with a sniper rifle and shoot officers as they left the police department. The complaint further alleges that Stinson also made telephone calls to the Governor’s Office during which he reiterated his threats to harm LCPD officers.
If convicted of the charges in the criminal complaint, Stinson faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service and the LCPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of Firearm and Robberies of Albuquerque-Area Convenience StoresRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Oscar Anchondo, 39, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm and violating the Hobbs Act by robbing two Albuquerque-area convenience stores at gunpoint.
Anchondo’s guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, Special Agent in Charge Thomas G. Atteberry of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Chief Tom Romero of the Bernalillo Police Department, Chief Gorden Eden, Jr., of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD), and Chief Michael Geier of the Rio Rancho Police Department.
Anchondo was arrested in Oct. 2015, on a criminal complaint alleging that Anchondo unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition on Oct. 6, 2015, in Sandoval County, N.M. According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 6, 2015, a resident of the Town of Bernalillo called the Bernalillo Police Department to report a stolen vehicle. The victim reported that Anchondo stole the vehicle after threatening to kill her, and that Anchondo was armed when he made the threat. Officers responded to the call and located the vehicle parked in the driveway of another residence in Bernalillo. In response to an inquiry from the officers, an occupant of the residence said that Anchondo was in the residence.
Anchondo was subsequently indicted on the same charge on Dec. 17, 2015. According to court records, on Oct. 6, 2015, Anchondo was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of the following felony offenses in state court: armed robbery with a deadly weapon, attempted robbery with a deadly weapon, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
During today’s proceedings, Anchondo entered a guilty plea to the indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and to a felony information charging him with two counts of violating the Hobbs Act. In entering the guilty plea, Anchondo admitted the following criminal conduct:
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On Sept. 29, 2015, Anchondo entered the Giant convenience store located at 6100 San Mateo Blvd. NE in Albuquerque, threatened the store employees with a firearm, demanded money, and robbed the employee of cash.
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On Sept. 29, 2015, Anchondo entered the 7-Eleven convenience store located at 1801 San Pedro Dr. NE in Albuquerque, threatened the store employees with a firearm, demanded money, and robbed the employee of cash.
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On Oct. 6, 2015, Anchondo was in possession of a firearm during a standoff with police who were attempting to arrest him for the offense charged in the criminal complaint, and that he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his status as a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the ATF office in Albuquerque and the Bernalillo Police Department with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and the Rio Rancho Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley under a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible. Because New Mexico’s violent crime rate, on a per capita basis, is one of the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community is collaborating to target repeat offenders from counties with the highest violent crime rates, including Bernalillo County, N.M., under this initiative.
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Alamogordo Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Robert Alan Rutledge, 34, of Alamogordo, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to methamphetamine trafficking crime charges. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Rutledge will be sentenced to 48 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
Rutledge was one of 34 individuals charged in December 2015 with federal and tribal drug offenses as the result of an 18-month multi-agency investigation led by the DEA and BIA into methamphetamine trafficking on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. Eighteen defendants, including five members of the Mescalero Apache Tribe and 13 non-Natives were charged in six federal indictments and a federal criminal complaint. Sixteen other members of the Mescalero Apache Tribe were charged in tribal criminal complaints approved by the Mescalero Apache Tribal Court.
The investigation leading to the federal and tribal charges was initiated in May 2014, in response to an increase in violent crime on the Mescalero Apache Reservation perpetrated by methamphetamine users. The investigation initially targeted a drug trafficking organization that was allegedly distributing methamphetamine within the Reservation, and later expanded to include two other drug trafficking organizations in southeastern New Mexico that allegedly served as sources of supply for the methamphetamine distributed within the Reservation. In Aug. 2014, the investigation was designated as part of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, which combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. The investigation is one of the first OCDETF investigations to utilize electronic surveillance (wiretaps) in Indian Country. More than ten kilograms of methamphetamine were seized during the course of the investigation.
Rutledge was arrested on an indictment charging him and seven co-conspirators with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Otero County, N.M., between April 9, 2015 and Oct. 16, 2015, and other drug trafficking offenses. During today’s proceedings, Rutledge entered a guilty plea to participating in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy and possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In his plea agreement, Rutledge admitted that in Aug. and Sept. 2015, he obtained more than 50 grams but less than 200 grams of methamphetamine from a co-defendant, which he sold to other individuals. Rutledge further admitted that on Aug. 29, 2015, he sold 18 grams of methamphetamine to another individual. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
Rutledge is the 13th of the 18 federal defendants to enter a guilty plea. The remaining five federal defendants have entered not guilty pleas to the charges against them. Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
The federal and tribal cases were investigated by the Las Cruces office of the DEA, District IV of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services (Mescalero Agency), BIA’s Division of Drug Enforcement, Mescalero Tribal Police Department, Hatch Police Department, FBI and Lea County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terri J. Abernathy of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the federal cases, and Mescalero Tribal Prosecutor Melissa Chavez is prosecuting the tribal cases.
Statement by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez on Fatal Shooting of Alamogordo Police Officer Clint CorvinusRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez issued the following statement upon learning of the fatal shooting of Officer Clint Corvinus, 33, of the Alamogordo Police Department:
“On behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the entire federal law enforcement community, I want to express our deepest condolences to the family of Officer Clint Corvinus and the men and women of the Alamogordo Police Department.
“Today Officer Clint Corvinus joined the list of law enforcement officer-heroes who sacrificed themselves while safeguarding their communities, and protecting their fellow citizens. Since March of 2015, New Mexico’s list of fallen officer-heroes has grown to include Officer Alex Yazzie of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, Officer Gregg Benner of the Rio Rancho Police Department, Officer Daniel Webster of the Albuquerque Police Department and Officer Jose Chavez of the Hatch Police Department.
“When even a list of one is too long and at a time when the list of fallen officer-heroes is growing far too quickly, we, as a community, are grieving. Each of these losses is a tragedy. Each breaks our hearts. And each leaves a void that can never be filled. Beyond the profound losses suffered by loved ones they leave behind wound, our fallen officer-heroes leave behind comrades, deeply affected with unseen wounds, who carry forward with their work.
“Although words cannot relieve the pain or ease the sorrow Officer Corvinus’s family is experiencing today, I hope they can take comfort in knowing that their community and law enforcement officers throughout New Mexico and the country will always remember Officer Corvinus’s sacrifice.”
Registered Nurses, Formerly Employed by Hospice Care Provider, Indicted on Federal Prescription Opioid Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two registered nurses, formerly employed by an Albuquerque-area hospice care provider, have been indicted on federal prescription opioid conspiracy charges, announced U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez and Special Agent in Charge Will R. Glaspy of DEA’s El Paso Division.
Desiree Ulibarri, 30, and Annabel Debari, 35, both of Albuquerque, N.M., are charged in a two-count indictment with conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and conspiracy to acquire and obtain oxycodone by fraud and deceit. The indictment alleges that the two women, both of whom are registered nurses, committed the crimes in Bernalillo County, N.M., between April 2016 and July 2016.
Ulibarri, who was arrested on a criminal complaint on July 25, 2016, was arraigned on the indictment in federal court this morning, and entered a not guilty plea. Debari is scheduled for arraignment on Sept. 7, 2016.
According to court filings, the investigation of this case began on July 21, 2016, after Ulibarri’s employer, a hospice care provider, contacted DEA to report suspicions that Ulibarri was engaged in prescription pill diversion. The employer became suspicious because Ulibarri allegedly was documenting patients’ prescriptions in a way that made it difficult to reconcile the medications and because Ulibarri allegedly was picking up patients’ prescription pills at Federal Express instead of having the medication delivered to the patients.
On July 22, 2016, DEA agents allegedly obtained 80 10-mg oxycodone pills from Ulibarri, which she allegedly obtained from packages she retrieved from Federal Express. When DEA agents conducted a consensual search of Ulibarri’s cellular phone, they allegedly found evidence that Ulibarri had been conspiring with a co-worker, who is also a registered nurse, to illegally distribute prescription pills since April 2016. Additionally, a review of records of missing packages allegedly revealed that at least 3,870 pills, an aggregate of 42,150 mgs of oxycodone, had been diverted during the course of the conspiracy.
Ulibarri and Debari each face a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison if found guilty of conspiracy to distribute prescription opioids. If convicted of conspiracy to acquire the prescription opioids by fraud or deceit, they each face up to four years in prison. Charges in indictments and criminal complaints are merely accusations, and criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Tactical Diversion Squad of the DEA in Albuquerque. DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squads combine DEA resources with those of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in an innovative effort to investigate, disrupt and dismantle those suspected of violating the Controlled Substances Act or other appropriate federal, state or local statutes pertaining to the diversion of licit pharmaceutical controlled substances or listed chemicals.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel R. Meyers and Alexander M. Uballez are prosecuting the case pursuant to the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico.
The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Navajo Man from Arizona Pleads Guilty to Federal Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Charleston Wauneka, 30, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in St. Michaels, Ariz., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to an assault charge. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Wauneka will be sentenced to 21 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
Wauneka was arrested in Aug. 2016, on an indictment charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury. The indictment alleged that Wauneka committed the crime on Aug. 15, 2013, on the Navajo Reservation in McKinley County, N.M.
During today’s proceedings, Wauneka pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that on Aug. 15, 2013, he assaulted the victim by striking and kicking her, causing her to suffer serious bodily injury. More specifically, Wauneka admitted that his criminal conduct caused the victim to suffer fractured orbital bones around her left eye and hearing loss in her left ear. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Window Rock office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Mease.
This case was brought as part of the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project in the District of New Mexico, which is sponsored by the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women under a grant administered by the Pueblo of Laguna. The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project seeks to train tribal prosecutors in federal law, procedure and investigative techniques to increase the likelihood that every viable violent offense against Native American women is prosecuted in either federal court or tribal court, or both. The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project was largely driven by input gathered from annual tribal consultations on violence against women, and is another step in the Justice Department's on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities.
Navajo Man Arraigned on Indictment Charging him with Assaulting a Federally Commissioned Tribal OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Abner Joe, 54, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Shiprock, N.M., was arraigned today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., on an indictment charging him with assaulting a federal officer. Joe entered a not guilty plea to the indictment and was released pending trial to a halfway house and will be under pretrial supervision and other conditions of release.
Joe was arrested on Aug. 10, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with assaulting a federal officer. According to the complaint, Joe allegedly assaulted an officer of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety on Aug. 4, 2016, by spitting on her and threatening her with a hammer and a wooden board. At the time of the alleged assault, the tribal officer was commissioned as a Special Law Enforcement Officer by the BIA’s Office of Justice Services.
Joe was indicted on Aug. 23, 2016, and charged with assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon and assault involving physical contact. The indictment alleged that Joe committed the crimes on Aug. 4, 2016, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in San Juan County, N.M.
If convicted of the crimes charged in the indictment, Joe faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Charges in complaints and indictments are merely accusations. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI and the Shiprock office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Murphy is prosecuting the case.
Las Cruces Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Benjamin David Romero, 38, of Las Cruces, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to methamphetamine trafficking charges.
Romero and co-defendant Roque Henry Atencio, 42, also of Las Cruces, were arrested on Feb. 6, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging them with methamphetamine trafficking charges. According to the complaint, Romero and Atencio sold two bags containing an aggregate of 47.35 grams of pure methamphetamine to undercover law enforcement agents in Doña Ana County, N.M., on April 2, 2015.
Romero and Atencio were indicted on April 21, 2016, and charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distributing methamphetamine on April 2, 2015. The indictment included forfeiture allegations requiring Romero and Atencio to forfeit $2,000 to the United States.
During today’s proceedings, Romero pled guilty to the indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement. At sentencing, Romero faces a statutory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. Romero remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
Atencio has entered a not guilty plea, and is awaiting trial. Charges in complaints and indictments are only accusations. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna R. Wright of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Discharging a Firearm During the Armed Robbery of a Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Reynaldo Marquez, 26, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Under the terms of his plea agreement, the parties will recommend that Marquez be sentenced to ten years in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
Marquez was charged in a seven-count superseding indictment that was filed on May 28, 2015. The superseding indicted added Marquez as a new defendant and two new counts to a five-count indictment previously filed on Jan. 21, 2015. The original indictment charged six Albuquerque residents – Raymond Castillo, 27, Castillo, Daniel Maestas, 36, Johnny Ramirez, 31, Frank Gallegos, 31, Reyes Lujan, 27, and Henry Lujan, 23, with conspiracy, commercial armed robbery and firearms charges.
The superseding indictment charged the original six defendants with conspiracy to violate the Hobbs Act, and with interfering with interstate commerce by robbing a Wal-Mart Store located in Bernalillo County, N.M., on Oct. 29, 2014. It also charged Castillo with discharging a firearm during the robbery of the Wal-Mart store; Maestas with using and carrying a firearm during that robbery; and Ramirez, Gallegos, Reyes Lujan and Henry Lujan with aiding and abetting the use of firearms during the robbery. The two new charges in the superseding indictment charged Marquez and Castillo with interfering with interstate commerce by robbing a 7-11 convenience store located in Bernalillo County, N.M., on Dec. 7, 2014, and Marquez with discharging a firearm during the robbery of the 7-11 convenience store on Dec. 7, 2015.
During today’s proceedings, Marquez pled guilty to Count 7 of the superseding indictment charging him with discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. In entering the guilty plea, Marquez admitted discharging a firearm during a robbery that occurred on Dec. 7, 2014, he. Marquez remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
Marquez’s six co-defendants previously have entered guilty pleas. Reyes Lujan was sentenced on March 8, 2016, to 71 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The five remaining co-defendants are in custody pending their sentencing hearings.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Norman Cairns and Samuel A. Hurtado are prosecuting this case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible. In recognition that New Mexico’s violent crime rates, on a per capita basis, are amongst the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community has come together to is collaborating the initiative is significantly exceed the national average.
Sierra County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ruben David Martinez, III, 29, of Truth or Consequences, N.M., pled guilty yesterday afternoon in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to methamphetamine trafficking charges under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Martinez was arrested in May 2016, and charged by criminal complaint with possession of methamphetamine and heroin with intent to distribute on May 16, 2016, in Sierra County, N.M. According to the criminal complaint, Martinez threw plastic bags containing more than 40 grams of methamphetamine and 9.22 grams of heroin from his vehicle as he fled from law enforcement officers who were attempting to execute a traffic stop on his vehicle for a traffic violation. After the officers apprehended Martinez, they executed a search warrant on his vehicle and residence and seized 69.8 grams of methamphetamine, pills, multiple cellular phones, cash and drug paraphernalia.
During yesterday’s change of plea hearing, Martinez pled guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty plea, Martinez admitted that on May 16, 2016, he possessed approximately 49 grams of methamphetamine when Sierra County Sheriff’s Office deputies initiated a traffic stop and later arrested him. Martinez further admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to other people.
At sentencing, Martinez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Martinez remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of Homeland Security Investigations, the New Mexico State Police and the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Beck of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty to Federal Charges Arising Out of Methamphetamine Trafficking on Navajo ReservationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Mexican nationals, Miguel Rangel Arce, 36, and Rogelio Santiago Quiroa-Valdez, 25, pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to methamphetamine trafficking charges. Their co-defendant, Luis Rangel Arce, 44, also a Mexican national, entered a guilty plea in the case last week.
The defendants were amongst the eight San Juan County residents charged with federal narcotics trafficking offenses as the result of a multi-agency investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force into methamphetamine trafficking on the Navajo Indian Reservation in northwestern New Mexico. The three men were arrested in May 2016 during a law enforcement operation that included the execution of two search warrants at residences in Shiprock and Kirtland, N.M.
The investigation leading to the federal charges was initiated in response to an increase in methamphetamine trafficking on the Navajo Indian Reservation in the Shiprock area, and was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. This Department of Justice program combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. The investigation identified eight defendants, who were charged in five indictments, through a series of methamphetamine purchases by undercover law enforcement officers. Law enforcement authorities seized more than two and a half pounds of methamphetamine, ten firearms, approximately $1,600 in cash and a vehicle during the operation.
Miguel Rangel Arce, Quiroa-Valdez and Luis Rangel Arce were charged with methamphetamine trafficking charges in a seven-count indictment filed in April 2016. The indictment charged the three men with participating in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy between Nov. 2015 and March 2016, and with distributing methamphetamine on six occasions between Jan. 2016 and March 2016. According to the indictment, the defendants committed the crimes in San Juan County, N.M.
During yesterday’s proceedings, Miguel Rangel Arce pled guilty to participating in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy and admitted that from Nov. 24, 2015 through March 17, 2016, he conspired to distribute between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine to an undercover officer. At sentencing, Miguel Rangel Arce faces a statutory minimum penalty of ten years and a maximum of life in prison.
Quiroa-Valdez pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and admitted that on Feb. 24, 2016, he distributed 85.5 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover officer. At sentencing Quiroa-Valdez faces a statutory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison.
Luis Rangel Arce pled guilty on Aug. 16, 2016, to distributing methamphetamine on Jan. 11 and 14, 2016. In entering the guilty plea, Luis Rangel Arce admitted distributing 63.17 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover officer on Jan. 11, 2016, and distributing 55.3 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover officer on Jan. 14, 2016. At sentencing, Luis Rangel Arce faces a statutory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison.
The three defendants remain in custody pending sentencing hearings, which have yet to be scheduled. They will be deported after completing their prison sentences.
The other five defendants were charged with methamphetamine trafficking charges in four other indictments. One has entered a guilty plea and is awaiting sentencing. The other four defendants have entered not guilty pleas and are awaiting trial. Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless convicted in a court of law.
These cases were investigated by HSI’s Albuquerque office and the HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force with assistance from the Farmington office of the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and BIA’s Division of Drug Enforcement, Shiprock office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, New Mexico State Police, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Farmington Police Department, and New Mexico National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Y. Ramirez is prosecuting the cases.
The HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force is comprised of officers and investigators from the Farmington Police Department, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Bloomfield Police Department, Aztec Police Department and HSI Albuquerque, and is part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
Two Women Plead Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Elizabeth Gallardo, 37, a U.S. citizen living in Mexico and Yuriria Anahid Ramirez-Moreno, 33, of a legal Mexican alien, pled guilty yesterday afternoon in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to methamphetamine trafficking charges.
Gallardo and Ramirez-Moreno were arrested on May 13, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging them with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. According to the criminal complaint, an officer of the Las Cruces Police Department (LCPD) arrested the women after finding them in possession of methamphetamine; Gallardo possessed 100.6 grams of methamphetamine and Ramirez-Moreno possessed 108.5 grams of methamphetamine.
Gallardo and Ramirez-Moreno were subsequently indicted on July 20, 2016, and charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine on May 12, 2016, in Doña Ana County, N.M.
During yesterday’s change of plea hearings, Gallardo and Ramirez-Moreno both entered guilty pleas to felony informations charging them with conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In entering her guilty plea, Gallardo admitted that on April 29, 2016, she delivered 54.7 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover agent. Ramirez-Moreno admitted that on May 5, 2016, she delivered 56 grams of methamphetamine to the undercover agent. Both women admitted that they intended to deliver the 209 grams of methamphetamine seized from them on May 12, 2016, to the same undercover agent.
At sentencing, Gallardo and Ramirez-Moreno each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison followed by not less than three years of supervised release. Both women remain in custody pending sentencing hearings which have yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the DEA and the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Saltman of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Prior Felon from Deming Sentenced to Prison for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Elias David Parra, 29, of Deming, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 21 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for violating the federal firearms laws.
Parra was arrested in Oct. 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to the complaint, officers of the Las Cruces Police Department arrested Parra after finding him in possession of a firearm and ammunition on Oct. 14, 2015, during a traffic stop in Doña Ana County, N.M. At the time, Parra was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of a drug trafficking felony in a Texas state court. Parra was indicted on Jan. 20, 2016.
On May 24, 2016, Parra pled guilty to the indictment, and admitted that he unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition on Oct. 14, 2015. Parra acknowledged that he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition as a result of his prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI, the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department and the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Mescalero Apache Man Sentenced for Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ryan Joseph Chavez, 40, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Nation who resides in Mescalero, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to eight months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for assaulting a federal officer.
Chavez was arrested on Oct. 16, 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with assaulting a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) officer on May 6, 2015, in Otero County, N.M. According to the complaint, Chavez assaulted the officer while the officer was attempting to place Chavez under arrest.
On Feb. 9, 2016, Chavez pled guilty to a felony information charging him with assaulting a federal officer who was engaged in the performance of his official duties. The guilty plea was entered without the benefit of a plea agreement.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI and the Mescalero Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Mescalero Apache Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Sexual Abuse ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Michael Bow Smith, 31, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Nation who resides in Mescalero, N.M., pled guilty yesterday afternoon in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to sexually abusing a minor.
Smith was arrested on May 7, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with sexually abusing a minor in Otero County, N.M., on March 8, 2016.
During yesterday’s proceedings, Smith pled guilty to a felony information charging him with sexually abusing a minor. In entering the guilty plea, Smith admitted that he was 30 years old when he engaged in a sexual act with the victim who was 15 years old at the time. Smith further admitted that the abuse took place on the Mescalero Apache reservation in Otero County.
At sentencing, Smith faces a statutory maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He will be required to register as a sex offender after he completes his prison sentence. Smith remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Mescalero Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Las Cruces Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Narcotics Trafficking and Firearms ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ronald Lee Gore, 31, of Las Cruces, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 63 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for his conviction on methamphetamine trafficking and firearms charges.
Gore and his co-defendant Marcus Dupre, 29, of Phoenix, Ariz., were charged in a criminal complaint on Oct. 6, 2014, with methamphetamine trafficking and firearms offenses. The two men, together with Jose Miramontes, 36, and Ramona Baca, 31, both of Las Cruces, N.M., were subsequently indicted on Dec. 10, 2014, and the indictment was superseded in Feb. 2015.
The superseding indictment charged Gore with participating in three methamphetamine trafficking conspiracies, distribution of methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess a fully automatic machinegun, possession of a machinegun, and being a felon in possession of firearms. At the time, Gore was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of theft in the first degree and burglary in the second degree. According to the superseding indictment, Gore committed the crimes between April 22, 2014 and Oct. 2, 2014, in Doña Ana County, N.M. Gore pled guilty to the superseding indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement on April 27, 2015.
Co-defendant Dupre pled guilty on Jan. 20, 2015, to methamphetamine trafficking charges, and admitted that on Oct. 2, 2014, he conspired with Gore to sell methamphetamine to an undercover federal agent in exchange for a fully automatic machinegun. Dupre was sentenced on Sept. 14, 2015, to 34 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Co-defendant Baca pled guilty on May 12, 2015, to distributing methamphetamine and admitted that on June 23, 2014, she hand-delivered 24.3 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover federal agent in exchange for cash. Baca was sentenced on March 1, 2016, to a year and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
Co-defendant Miramontes pled guilty on Dec. 15, 2015, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and admitted that on April 23, 2014, he conspired to distribute 4.2 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover agent. Miramontes further admitted that on Dec. 15, 2014, he possessed a firearm ammunition even though he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his prior felony conviction of residential burglary. Miramontes was sentenced on July 26, 2016, to 27 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces offices of the FBI and DEA and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Saltman of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
Las Cruces Man Arrested on Federal Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ignacio Salcido Jr., 38, of Las Cruces, N.M., made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday on a criminal complaint charging him with transportation of a minor in interstate commerce with intent to engage in sexual activity. Salcido remains in custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing scheduled on Sept. 1, 2016.
Salcido was arrested on Aug. 26, 2016, by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on a criminal complaint alleging that he transported a child under the age of 18 years in interstate commence on Aug. 22 and 23, 2016, with the intention of engaging in sexual activity. According to the criminal complaint, Salcido traveled with the victim from Phoenix, Ariz., to Juarez, Mexico, then to Las Cruces, and engaged in sexual activity with the victim during that time.
According to the criminal complaint, Salcido picked up the victim on the side of the road in Phoenix on Aug. 22, 2016, while traveling with two other individuals (witnesses) from San Diego, Calif. The complaint further alleges that the witnesses observed Salcido attempt to sexually abuse the victim on several occasions during the trip while the victim was sleeping in the vehicle. Later that day, Salcido drove the victim and the witnesses into Juarez, where he again attempted to sexually abuse the victim while the witnesses were not in the vehicle.
After returning to the United States, Salcido drove the victim and the witnesses to his residence in Las Cruces. At his residence, Salcido allegedly forced the victim to engage in sexual activity. The investigation into Salcido began the next day, Aug. 23, 2016, when one of the witnesses reported the alleged sexual assault to school officials in Las Cruces.
If convicted of the charge against him, Salcido faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of ten years and a maximum of life in prison. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations and Salcido is presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of HSI and the Las Cruces Police Department with assistance from the 3rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa A. Ong and Alexander B. Shapiro of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Prison for Failing to Update his Sex Offender RegistrationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Kelly S. Hobbs, 38, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 26 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Hobbs will be required to register as a sex offender after completing his prison sentence.
SORNA, also known as the Adam Walsh Protection and Safety Act, requires that a convicted sex offender register in each jurisdiction where the offender resides, where the offender is employed, or where the offender is a student, and that the sex offender maintain current registrations.
Hobbs pled guilty on April 20, 2016, to a felony information charging him with violating SORNA by failing to update his sex offender registration from Nov. 18, 2015 through Feb. 17, 2016, in Dona Ana County, N.M., and violating the conditions of his supervised release on a prior felony conviction. In entering the guilty plea, Hobbs admitted that he was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor in 2010 and was sentenced to 51 months in prison. On June 11, 2015, Hobbs was released from prison and was required to reside at a halfway house in Albuquerque for six months. Hobbs further admitted that on Nov. 18, 2015, he failed to return to the halfway house and did not notify the Sheriff’s Office of his change of residence as required under SORNA.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Spindle prosecuted the case.