Date: 01-22-2016

Case Style: United States of America v. Kevin Romero

Case Number: 1:15-mj-00290-KBM

Judge: KBM

Court: United States District Court for the District of New Mexico (Bernalillo County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Shana B. Long

Defendant's Attorney: Ken Gleria and Jack Mkhitarian

Description: Albuquerque, NM - Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Narcotics Trafficking Laws

Defendant Prosecuted as Part of HOPE Initiative which Seeks to Reduce the Number of Opioid-Related Deaths in New Mexico

Kevin Romero, 34, of Albuquerque, N.M., pleaded guilty in federal court to methamphetamine and heroin trafficking charges under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Romero and his co-defendant Phillip Barrios, 37, also of Albuquerque, were arrested in Jan. 2015, on a criminal complaint charging them with possession of heroin and methamphetamine with intent to distribute. According to the complaint, Romero and Barrios attempted to sell approximately 64 grams of methamphetamine and 200 grams of heroin to undercover law enforcement agents on Jan. 28, 2015, in Bernalillo County, N.M.

During today’s proceedings, Romero pled guilty to a felony information charging him with distribution of methamphetamine and heroin. In entering his guilty plea, Romero admitted that on Jan. 28, 2015, he provided methamphetamine and heroin to Barrios with the knowledge that Barrios intended to distribute to other individuals who unbeknownst to them, were undercover New Mexico State Police officers. Romero admitted that he and Barrios sold 59.62 grams of actual methamphetamine and 237.7 grams of heroin to the undercover officers.

At sentencing, Romero faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison followed by not less than three years of supervised release. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

Barrios previously pled guilty and was sentenced on Aug. 19, 2015.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of Homeland Security Investigations and the New Mexico State Police .

This case is being prosecuted pursuant to the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center that is partnering with the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative with the overriding goal of reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in the District of New Mexico. The HOPE Initiative comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. The law enforcement component of the HOPE Initiative is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative.

Outcome: Guilty

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