More Than Fifty Pounds Of Methamphetamine Seized During Four Drug Interdiction Investigations
Three Seizures at Greyhound Bus Station and Amtrak Train Station in Albuquerque; Fourth Seizure Arose out of Traffic Stop on Interstate 40 in Bernalillo County
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M - Seven defendants are facing federal methamphetamine trafficking charges in four cases involving seizures last week of more than 52 pounds of methamphetamine. Three of the cases are the result of interdiction investigations at the Greyhound Bus Station and Amtrak Train Station in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The fourth case arose out of a traffic stop on Interstate 40 in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
Four men were arrested on Dec. 28, 2016, and charged with methamphetamine trafficking offenses after the DEA and New Mexico State (NMSP) seized a total of 10.75 (23.7 pounds) of methamphetamine during two interdiction investigations at the Greyhound Bus Station. The methamphetamine was allegedly concealed in various bundles inside luggage and a locked safe. Alvan Raylon Tillman, 26, of Phoenix, Arizona, is charged with possession of more than two pounds of methamphetamine in one case. Lewayne Deray Jennings, 28, of Dayton, Ohio, Jerell Leveine Whitman-Crutcher II, 29, of Warren, Michigan, and Marcus Bernard Harris, Jr., 21, of Southfield, Michigan, are jointly charged with possession of more than 21 pounds of methamphetamine in a separate case.
Mario Sanchez-Ceja, 27, was also arrested on Dec. 28, 2016, and charged with possessing approximately 8.28 (18.25 pounds) of methamphetamine in Bernalillo County. According to the criminal complaint, Sanchez-Ceja was arrested after law enforcement agents allegedly seized the methamphetamine from Sanchez-Ceja’s vehicle following a routine traffic stop on Interstate 40.
On Dec. 30, 2016, April Luna-Contreras, 21, and Esthela Contreras-Luna, 44, both of San Diego, Calif., were arrested on methamphetamine trafficking charges after the DEA and NMSP seized approximately 4.75 (10.47 pounds) of methamphetamine from them during an interdiction investigation at the Amtrak Train Station in Albuquerque. The methamphetamine was allegedly contained in bundles concealed under Luna-Contreras and Contreras-Luna’s clothes.
If convicted, each of the seven defendants faces a statutory mandatory minimum of ten years to a maximum of life imprisonment.
The cases against Tillman, Jennings, Whitman-Crutcher and Harris were investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and the NMSP and are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley. The case against Sanchez-Ceja was investigated by the Albuquerque office of Homeland Security Investigations and the NMSP and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul H. Spiers, and the case against Luna-Contreras and Contreras-Luna was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and NMSP and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rumaldo R. Armijo.
The DEA El Paso Division encourages parents, and their children to visit the following interactive websites at www.justthinktwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov.
