United States Drug Enforcement Administration

ALBUQUERQUE - Angel Ramirez, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, faces federal drug trafficking and firearm offenses following her arrest during a DEA-led Homeland Security Task Force investigation.  

"During this operation, DEA agents working alongside our Homeland Security Task Force partners seized more than 40 kilograms of fentanyl powder, representing over 3 million potentially deadly doses destined for our communities," said DEA El Paso Division Special Agent in Charge Robert “Eric” Castañeda. "This is the largest single seizure of fentanyl powder in DEA New Mexico's history and a significant step towards saving American lives.” 

On October 29, 2026, agents and officers executed a federal search at Ramirez’s residence where they located multiple duffel bags containing large quantities of narcotics that field tested positive for fentanyl and heroin, bulk U.S. currency, and numerous firearms.   

In total, agents and officers recovered approximately 43.75 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 90,000 fake pills containing fentanyl, 4.4 kilograms of heroin, and an additional 1,036 grams of fentanyl, which was in a separate container within the home.  Agents and officers also recovered 28 firearms and assorted ammunition. 

According to court documents, Ramirez was employed as a paralegal with the State of New Mexico’s Department of Justice, a position of public trust, at the time of her arrest.  It is alleged that Ramirez leveraged her government employment, clean criminal history, and internal access to the justice system to create a veneer of legitimacy while her residence operated as a distribution hub for narcotics, drug proceeds, and firearms. 

“More than 40 kilograms of fentanyl powder in a single Albuquerque home tells us just how serious the drug trafficking problem has become in New Mexico,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “This is a tremendous accomplishment by the agents who got these drugs off our streets, but it is no cause for celebration. With fentanyl overdose deaths on the rise in New Mexico, we have a lot more work to do. We will continue targeting the organizations bringing these drugs into our state and aggressively prosecuting those responsible.”

Ramirez is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. She will remain in custody pending trial. If convicted, Ramirez faces at least 15 years and up to life in prison. 

First Assistant U.S Attorney Ryan Ellison and DEA El Paso Division Special Agent in Charge Robert “Eric” Castañeda made the announcement on behalf of the HSTF.  U.S. Attorneys Mark Probasco, Timothy Piatt, and Oliver Stephanez are prosecuting the case. 

The Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Rio Rancho Police Department and Pueblo of Pojoaque Tribal Police Department provided invaluable assistance in this arrest.

This arrest is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF Region II CORE 7 is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Customs and Border Protection – Office of Field Operations (OFO), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) and Air and Marine (AMO), Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), United States Department of the Interior – Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Joint Task Force North (JTF-N), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshal Service (USMS), Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS), El Paso Police Department (EPPD), New Mexico State Police (NMSP), West Texas / New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), Albuquerque Police Department, New Mexico Sixth Judicial District, Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Districts of Western Texas and New Mexico.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.