LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KTSM) — Federal and local law enforcement agencies announced the bust of a large drug trafficking network in southern New Mexico during a news conference on Thursday, Nov. 7.
On Wednesday, federal agents and local law enforcement executed search warrants at five Las Cruces addresses and one in Anthony, New Mexico.
“During this week’s operations, we seized the following: 842 grams of fentanyl, 1,118 grams of methamphetamine, 285 grams of cocaine, 36 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 400 grams of marijuana, 96 grams of hydrocodone,” Aaron Jordan, the criminal chief of the U.S. Attorney’s branch office in Las Cruces said.
Investigators add that 13 guns and over $2,000 were also seized during this operation. The operation resulted in 24 arrests, 16 of them now facing federal charges, and 8 are facing state charges.
According to a press release sent by the U.S. Attorney of New Mexico, the defendants include:
Armando Conrad Gonzales, aka “Forty,” 43
Leticia Maria Rodriguez, 41
Jessica Juel Henderson, aka “JJ” 45
Veronica Levario, 39
Richard Regan Beserra, 47
Daniel Roberto Herrera, aka “Fat Boy,” 33
Ernesto Salas Flores, 63
Beatriz Adriana Gonzalez, 46
Sylvia Ann Parra, 52
Amanda Lea Weinrich, 38
Phillip Andrew Estell, aka “Flip,” 43
D’Anna Michelle Chavez, 47
Bruce Martin King, 68
Angel Flores, 45
Kenneth Eric Yeager, 44
Antonio Valles, aka “Tony,” 49
If convicted, Weinrich, Parra, Estell and Yeager face up to 20 years in prison. Herrera and Chavez face a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. A. Gonzalez, Rodriguez, Valles, Levario, Beserra, E. Flores, B. Gonzalez, King and A. Flores each face a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. Henderson faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison, according to the press release.
“If drug traffickers think that they can come into southern New Mexico and set up shop, you’re sadly mistaken. The Drug Enforcement Administration will continue to do everything we can to partner with our state, local and federal partners to beat them at their game and to put them in jail,” special agent in charge of the DEA’s El Paso division, Towanda R. Thorne-Jame said.
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