Count 12 charges certain defendants with possession with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. A grand jury returned an indictment against the defendants Feb. 25. Rosa M. De Santiago, 43, of Sunland Park, N.M., is charged in Counts 1- 2 and 36-40 of the indictment. Each location has its own hours of operation, and a unique set of services. Reyes and Ornelas were arrested today in Horizon City. The U.S. Attorney's Office said both amounts would be the. Federal agents arrested them Feb. 27 Thursday with assistance from state and local law enforcement. News. Alfonso Rios, 36, of Santa Rosa, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 and 11 of the indictment. The criminal complaint charges Maria Isabel Reyes, 37, and Roberta Guillermina Ornelas, 38, both of Horizon City, Tex., with conspiracy and possession of more than a pound of heroin with intent to distribute. Carlos Martin Quintana-Arias, a Mexican resident, was arrested Thursday after 17,584 pounds of meth and 389 pounds of fentanyl were seized. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Briseo-Lopez has yet to be arrested and is considered a fugitive. Gustavo Hernandez-Loaiza, 38, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 2 and 21 of the indictment. Updated: Feb 17, 2022 / 06:44 AM MST GRANTS, N.M. (KRQE) - More than $1 million worth of drugs are now off the streets of New Mexico, thanks to a single bust. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.(KRQE) The national director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is calling a recent drug bust in Albuquerque the largest in the Bureaus history. Manuel German Ibarra, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 2, 22 and 31 of the indictment. A locked padlock Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Devils blank Rangers in Game 7, face Canes in second, Harden scores 45, hits late 3 as 76ers down Celtics, Met Gala: Rihanna, Jared Leto as Choupette, Kim K., Serena Williams, Karlie Kloss reveal pregnancies, Phillies slugger Harper expected to return to lineup, Braves slugger Ronald Acua Jr. exits game after, a September 1 search of multiple locations, KRQE-Emerson Poll: Majority of New Mexicans think crime has gotten worse, Bernalillo County and Albuquerque team up for fentanyl education program. Daisy Hidalgo, 22, of Anthony, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 and 36-37 of the indictment. Brittney Griner says shell only play overseas again if its the Olympics Drug raid:Italy seizes 4 tons of cocaine worth $256 million in bust linked to Colombian drug operation. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. PUBLISHED: February 12, 2021 at 1:17 p.m. | UPDATED: February 12, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. A state, federal and local investigation has busted a Colorado drug and money laundering ring with ties to . A 2021 study by the Center for U.S.-Mexico . The statutory penalty for a conviction on the charges in the complaint is imprisonment for not less than ten years nor more than life and a $10 million fine. Both groups are exempt from the restrictions at U.S. land borders. The defendants were arrested on June 15 in a joint law enforcement operation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Market data provided by Factset. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) - A traffic stop in Cibola County led to the discovery of more than half a million dollars worth of drugs. Cargo trucks line up to cross into the United States at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry near the border in Tijuana on April 2, 2019. The defendants communicated extensively by telephone and text message about their drug trafficking business. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. John Seibel, 25, Robert Pettit, 51, and Barbara Dockery, 64, all of Albuquerque, appeared in federal court today for their parts in a drug trafficking organization run by Seibel (the Seibel DTO). All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Former acting ICE director Tom Homan on the migrant surge and the number of illegal border crossings is unprecedented.. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting this case. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, In 2021, the Latin American country produced 972 tons of cocaine that are exported mostly to the United States, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy reported last July. MIAMI - South Florida federal prosecutors have charged the leader of a notorious Mexican drug cartel and five others for their alleged roles in importing into the United States over 500 kilograms of Mexican methamphetamine. According to public court records allegations have been made that, Jose Mendoza, and his wife, Natalie Mendoza, were high-level suppliers of cocaine in the Espaola Valley of New Mexico. Joshua Jande Carmona, 23 of El Paso, Tex., is charged in Counts 1-3, 5-8, 10-11, 14, 29-31 and 34-35 of the indictment. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? In court documents, a unnamed source says hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills are moved up from Mexico before being distributed to several gangs around Albuquerque before being sold within several shady hotels around Albuquerque. The federal attorneys allege this system provides a steady stream of fentanyl and methamphetamine in New Mexico.. Attorneys Selesia L. Winston and Sarah M. Davenport of the U.S. Attorneys Las Cruces Branch Office are prosecuting the cases as part of the OCDETF Program and the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. Reyes was arrested this morning in Arlington, Tex. Charges in indictments and criminal complaints are only accusations. Counts 4, 6, 8, and 10 charge certain defendants with distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base. Quarterly report for measures related to prescription drug overdose in New Mexico. Nate Gartrell covers crime and corruption in Contra Costa County. All six defendants were arrested and remain in custody pending detention hearings. Count 2 of the Indictment charges nine defendants with participating in an international money laundering conspiracy. Despite early pandemic disruptions to the global drug trade, illegal substances have since been pouring into the U.S. the world's largest consumer of them. San Jose police bust 7 underground casinos, yielding guns, drugs, nearly $300,000 in cash Quintana-Arias was arraigned in San Diego federal court on Friday on two counts of importation of a controlled substance. Count 41 charges a defendant with carrying and possessing a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Additionally, defendant Edvardo Carlson is alleged to have conducted drug transactions at Ryan Rodriguezs direction. Crime and Public Safety | Hours of operation and contact information are provided below. The indictment includes 77 overt acts allegedly committed by the defendants in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy. ", Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Bridget Archuleta Counts 1, 4, 11 and 12. It can slow breathing, reduce blood pressure, cause seizures, and lead to death. Full story on KRQE.com: https://www.krqe.com/video/video-shows-espanola-police-shoot-man-armed-with-rifle-during-traffic-stop/, BCSO deputy impersonator to remain in jail. At least 34 suspects arrested that day face drug trafficking charges in either federal or state District Court, Apodaca said (see list on page A4). Sheriff Manuel Gonzales said in a statement that such operations in Albuquerque continue to produce results that are helping to make the community safer. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Diego Armando Rivas-Aguilar, 23, a Mexican national, is charged in Counts 1 and 33 of the indictment. One defendant is charged in a criminal complaint with heroin and cocaine trafficking offenses arising out of the seizure of approximately 24.4 pounds of heroin and 2.45 pounds of cocaine at the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 25 north of Las Cruces on March 10, 2017. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Soto was arrested this morning in Las Cruces. In addition to the 650 pounds of methamphetamine, federal authorities seized 15 pounds of heroin, prosecutors said in court papers. Terrazas-Ignacio was arrested this morning in Las Cruces. There was at least one arrest for child abuse as well. Barboza told law enforcement officials that she was to drive the shipment to an undisclosed location in Houston in exchange for $10,000, according to a criminal complaint. Similarly, 23-year-old Mike Mendoza, also of Houston, was arrested in February after border agents stopped him at the JuarezLincoln International Bridge in Laredo while driving a pickup truck with 132 pounds of meth stashed in its tires, according to a criminal complaint. Officials found the packages of drugs inside the trailer, which also contained a few automotive body parts, the complaint said. The U.S. Attorneys Office said both amounts would be the largest seizures of either drug in the U.S. in both 2020 or 2021. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The charges are the result of a 16-month DEA-led investigation during which law enforcement authorities seized approximately 30 kilograms of heroin, 64 kilograms of methamphetamine, 17 kilograms of cocaine, 20 kilograms of marijuana, 24 firearms, $102,000 in currency, and three vehicles. The investigation, which was designated as part of the Justice Departments Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, targeted a DTO allegedly led by Luis Angel Briseo-Lopez, 30, a Mexican national believed to reside in Juarez, Mexico, and who has yet to be arrested. An official website of the United States government. The searches turned up a variety of drugs including meth, cocaine, heroin, marijuana and prescription medication. Counts 3, 20, 21, 31 and 39 charge certain defendants with substantive international money laundering offenses. Michael Collins covers the White House. Agents then learned that Daniel Verduzco fled the United States to Mexico via plane on November 17, 2020, which coincided with the day of another major law enforcement takedown of a drug trafficking organization in the Bay Area. AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Three people have been arrested after a traffic stop in New Mexico led agents to a drug bust in Amarillo. De Santiago was arrested this morning in Sunland Park. The investigation concluded this morning with an early morning, multi-agency law enforcement operation which included the execution of arrest warrants in New Mexico and Texas, and the execution of six search warrants at locations in El Paso, Tex., Sunland Park, N.M., Belen, N.M., and Albuquerque, N.M. Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney and Special Agent in Charge Will R. Glaspy of the DEAs El Paso Division announced the results of the investigation this afternoon during a press conference in Las Cruces, N.M. ALBUQUERQUE Twenty-eight individuals are facing drug trafficking and money laundering charges as the result of a federal investigation targeting a Mexican drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for importing large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico, and distributing the drugs in New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Kentucky and Illinois. Francisco Luna-Rosales, 50, a legal permanent resident who resides in Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 27, 29, 38 and 40-42 of the indictment. Court records did not show that an attorney had been appointed for him yet. ALBUQUERQUE - Twenty-eight individuals are facing drug trafficking and money laundering charges as the result of a federal investigation targeting a Mexican drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for importing large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico, and distributing the drugs in New Mexico, Texas, Kansas . The meth, and an accompanying 127 pounds of fentanyl powder that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered Aug. 5, had an estimated street value of more than $12.9 million, according to officials. They will be charged in criminal complaints to be filed today with drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. $54 million drug bust tied to Mexican cartel uncovered in FL, GA | wtsp.com Polk County 'Operation Dirty Water': 6 charged in $54 million drug bust with ties to the Mexican cartel Polk. Count 12 charges a defendant with distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Victor Manjarrez, a former Border Patrol sector chief in El Paso and Tucson, said "the use of American citizens kind of ebbs and flows. Legal Statement. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Dulce Viridiana Rodriguez, 21, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 and 38 of the indictment. Dockery is charged in a criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. For more than a year, the closure of the southern border to nonessential traffic has sharply limited the number of foreign citizens entering the U.S. by land. According to court records, Seibel, assisted by his co-conspirators included Pettit and Dockery, allegedly sold blues, which are counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, as well as fentanyl pills manufactured in Albuquerque using a pill press machine. MEXICO CITY (AP) The killings of four men in the Mexican resort of Cancun was probably related to drug gang rivalries, authorities said Tuesday. "This was not something he was regularly involved in," Cantu said of Mendoza, who pleaded guilty to a drug smuggling charge in March. District of New Mexico Fentanyl is trafficked into the United States from countries such as China, India and Mexico and is sometimes mixed with cocaine often without the users knowledge to increase the drugs potency or profitability, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Cantu estimates the number of cases he's handled of U.S. citizens facing drug smuggling charges has doubled since 2019. P.O. Have a question about Government Services? Prosecution of those who manufacture and distribute these illicit and dangerous narcotics is and must remain a top priority for the District of New Mexico., The drug trafficking organizations that produce and distribute these potentially-lethal counterfeit pills containing fentanyl care only about one thing: maximizing profits, said Kyle W. Williamson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administrations El Paso Division. Hernandez-Loaiza was arrested this morning in Albuquerque. Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2022-Q4), Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2022-Q3), Prescription Drug Overdose in New Mexico (2022-Q2). The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on each of these counts is imprisonment for four years and a $250,000 fine. The drug bust marks the second time this year that federal authorities in the Bay Area have touted large-scale methamphetamine seizures. During a traffic stop involving a refrigerated tractor-trailer, law enforcement found 1,950 pounds of drugs (worth about $45 million), making it the biggest methamphetamine seizure in North Texas. Arrests of U.S. citizens who bring drugs through in their bodies also have risen. But the Albuquerque FBI office says investigations are ongoing and they expect more arrests to come. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org. This time, investigators tailed suspected drug dealers and pulled them over when they were believed to have methamphetamine in their cars. The Albuquerque Police Department made a large drug bust on Thursday recovering narcotics, a gun and cash in a stolen car.Officers were near San Pedro and Kathryn conducting an operation when they . It charges one defendant with a firearms offense. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is 20 years and a $500,000. Criminal Complaint in United States v. Jose Fernando Lucero, 17-MJ-617-GJF. Friday, federal and local law enforcement announced the results of an operation in southeast New Mexico that. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. An increasing number of American citizens have been apprehended as they have tried to smuggle illegal drugs into the U.S. since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, an uptick that's come amid travel restrictions at the border with Mexico. Natalie Mendoza allegedly kept records of drug sales and collected proceeds from drug transactions. Why California bills to crack down on fentanyl dealers have been doomed in the state Legislature Overdoses from synthetic opioids like fentanyl have soared inthe United States, and fentanyl accountsfor the majority of synthetic opioid deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. The charges against Reye and Ornelas arise out of the seizure of approximately 17.80 pounds (8.10 kilograms) by the Hatch Police Department near Hatch, N.M., on April 20, 2017. Main Office: Americans are critical to these operations, trafficking experts say. The rules have been extended until at least June 21, but Mexican authorities have allowed most U.S. citizens to walk or drive south across the border with relative ease. For some time weve known the damage methamphetamine trafficking has caused to our communities, and we are now seeing the devastation caused by counterfeit fentanyl pills, which sadly includes overdose deaths, said Acting U.S. Attorney Fred J. Federici. In the largest methamphetamine seizure in Miami-Dade County history, law enforcement agents seized the over 1,200 pounds of crystal meth before it ever hit the streets. Similarly, in an Oct. 26 traffic stop in San Jose, authorities found 22 pounds of methamphetamine in a car driven by Edgar Portillo, according to prosecutors. Drug busts in DC area, 7 states linked to Sinaloa cartel; drugs, guns, $5.4 million seized. HOPEs law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorneys Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is 20 years and a $500,000. We rely on each other to help keep our communities safe from those who defy our laws., Through partnerships within our federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, those communities and families affected by criminal activity can rest assured, that at the end of the day, we are all here to Serve and Protect. Rios was arrested in El Paso. U.S. citizens had been apprehended about 2,400 times by late March for drug smuggling during inspections of vehicles crossing those checkpoints. Alberto Terrazas-Ignacio, 24, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 2, 6, 15-18, 20-28, 32-33 and 44 of the indictment. The statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for not less than ten years or more than life and a $10 million fine. Last August, authorities observed Jimenez-Verduzco place a duffle bag in Sanchez-Pedrazas car. Fentanyl and meth are cheaper and more widely available as street drugs, interviews with law enforcement and Department of Health Officials reveal. Counts 2, 5, 7, 9 and 11 charge certain defendants with use of a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. We are honored to work hand in hand with our federal partners, the DEA and the U.S. Attorneys Office in achieving the ultimate goal of keeping our streets safe., Doa Ana County Sheriff Enrique Vigil said, I can say with confidence that our local law-enforcement agencies are committed to doing all that we can to bring fugitives to justice, and will continue working together to make our great state of New Mexico a safe place. "U.S. citizens people that are struggling financially that are going to be allowed to come in. The citizens of New Mexico are safer today because of the collaborative effort between law enforcement agencies. According to a re According to court records, Jose Mendoza and Natalie Mendoza also laundered proceeds from their drug trafficking by making large cash payments on auto loans and large cash deposits into accounts at credit unions. The New Mexico Department of Health operates several administrative offices around the state that oversee regional and statewide office operations. In many cases, drug couriers in the U.S. are recruited for one-off assignments to drive a shipment across the border in exchange for a lump sum payment based on how much product they are transporting, experts say. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The overt acts describe the expansive sweep of the DTOs drug distribution operation and the significant quantities of drugs involved. Twenty-three of the 28 defendants are charged in a 44-count indictment, three are charged in two separate criminal complaints, and two will be charged in criminal complaints being filed today. "As cross-border travel shifted to essential travel only, criminal organizations shifted their operations as well," the agency said in a recent statement. A lock ( He added: "I requested a little more help in that regard. The statutory penalty for a conviction on the charges in the complaint is imprisonment for not less than ten years nor more than life and a $10 million fine. On June 9, a federal grand jury indicted Seibel and Pettit on one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, two counts of distribution of 50 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, two counts of distribution of 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, and four counts of distribution of 40 grams and more of fentanyl. Assistant U.S. This operation reinforces that there are consequences to those that choose to conspire to illegal narcotics crimes in our communities and state., The Hatch Police Department along with the other agencies involved in todays operation continue to have a strong relationship, said Chief James Gimler of the Hatch Police Department. Petro's decriminalization approach comes as Biden has been increasingly criticized by Republicans for being weak on border security and stopping the flow of fentanyl from Mexican cartels who also traffic in Colombian cocaine. It is the duty and responsibility of the community to watch-out for each other.. Last week, a federal magistrate allowed Sanchez-Pedraza and Portillo to be freed on $50,000 bonds, court records show. Jesus A. Flores, 39, a legal permanent resident of Anthony, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 38 and 43 of the indictment. These cases are great examples of how local, county, state and federal agencies are working with State District Attorneys and the U.S. Attorney to prosecute those responsible for their crimes. The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. In addition, the Las Cruces and El Paso offices of Homeland Security Investigations, Dona Ana County Sheriffs Office, Las Cruces Police Department and Sunland Park Police Department participated in todays law enforcement operation. Carlos Martin Quintana-Arias, a Mexican resident, was arrested Thursday after 17,584 pounds of meth and 389 pounds of fentanyl were seized. And at least 12 gang-related homicides have resulted in federal murder charges. The September bust led to one person facing federal charges. Then something changed, Virginia Gov. Main Office: Authorities said Ingram had served time in the Arizona Department of Corrections on prior drug-related charges. Jose Mendoza Counts 1, 2, 9, 10, 11 and 12. WASHINGTON Colombian President Gustavo Petro declared during his inaugural address last August that the time has come for a new approach in the international war on drugs, which he argued has failed and failed resoundingly.. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at, Rio Rancho Man Charged with Possession of Destructive Devices, Artistas Asesinos Cartel leader sentenced to 27 years for drug trafficking, Prison escapee sentenced to 10 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm, a charge resulting from shooting of Farmington Police Officer. Details of the investigation, which started in October 2020, were revealed in court records filed this week that included an indictment charging four people with involvement in a drug ring that sold heroin and methamphetamine. District of New Mexico Jorge Marquez was sentenced to over 27 years in prison. City News Service contributed to this report. Count 43 charges certain defendants with possessing with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The maximum penalty on conviction is up to 20 years in prison. After fleeing, Verduzco-Ramirez left his nephew, Jimenez-Verduzco, in charge of the rings day-to-day operations but is still believed to be controlling operations from Mexico, prosecutors wrote in a motion to keep Jimenez-Verduzco in custody. Mryna Montemayor, a public defender representing Barboza, did not respond to an email seeking comment. Roderica T. Bahe, 24, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 and 44 of the indictment. 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, HOPEs 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. Elizabeth Monroy, 19, of Chaparral, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 and 36-37 of the indictment. Official websites use .gov Are you having Trouble Finding the Page you are looking for? Ortiz-Campos was arrested this morning in El Paso. In September, our Albuquerque office conducted the largest takedown of fentanyl ever for the FBI, Director Christopher Wray said in a video posted on YouTube. The following agencies assisted with the investigation: Drug Enforcement Administration, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Region III Narcotics Task Force, which includes members of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, New Mexico State Police, Santa Fe Police Department, Santa Fe County Sheriff and the Taos Police Department.
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new mexico drug bust 2021