ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Eric Castañeda, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, and Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Rafael Columbie was sentenced to 10 years in prison. A federal jury convicted Columbie, 54, of...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Today, Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, Eric Castañeda, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, and Francisco B. Burrola, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and Jeffrey C. Boshek II...

El Paso, Texas – On Friday, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced the results of a year-long national operation, “Operation Last Mile,” targeting operatives, associates, and distributors affiliated with the Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartels responsible for the last mile of fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution on our streets and on social...

EL PASO, Texas – The leader of a large-scale drug trafficking organization was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso Thursday to life in prison. According to court documents, Jorge Sanchez Morales aka “Capulina,” 47, ran a drug trafficking organization, spanning from Mexico to El Paso and on to...

ALBUQUERQUE – Gregory M. Millard, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s El Paso Division, and Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that a federal jury on March 30 returned a guilty verdict against Eloy Romero. The jury convicted Romero, 47, of...

MIDLAND, Texas – A Midland man was sentenced last week to 360 months in prison for possessing approximately 1,000 grams of methamphetamine and possessing a handgun in furtherance to a drug activity. According to court documents, on September 23, 2022, Midland Police officers found that Fabian Hernandez, 33, was a...

El Paso – A few weeks ago, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced the seizure of over 50.6 million fentanyl-laced, fake prescription pills and more than 10,000 pounds of fentanyl powder this calendar year. The El Paso Division, which covers West Texas and the whole state of New Mexico, seized 2,886,783...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that a federal jury returned a guilty verdict on Rafael Columbie on Dec. 1. The jury convicted Columbie, 53, of Albuquerque, on one count each of conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams...

EL PASO, Texas – A federal jury convicted two men Tuesday of multiple counts of drug trafficking. Additionally, one of the defendants was convicted of domestic and international money laundering. Jorge Sanchez-Morales aka “Capulina,” 47, was convicted of two counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute; two counts...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Richard Orlinski “Sugar” Sanchez, 44, of Dexter, New Mexico, was sentenced to 23 years in prison on Oct. 12. On Aug. 26, 2021, Sanchez pleaded guilty to: one count of conspiracy to distribute...