New Mexico Controlled Substance Law
<h2> <center> United States of America v. Claudiu Pesteleu </h2> </center>
Las Cruces, New Mexico, criminal defense lawyers represented the Defendant charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Reported by <a href="https://www.morelaw.com/vendors/vendor.asp?f=Kent&l=Morlan&i=28729&z=74119&s=OK" target="_new">Kent Morlan</a> Claudiu Pesteleu, 44, a Romanian national illegally present in the United States, admitted that from May 2023 through June 2024, he participa... More...
$ (06-03-2026 - NM)<h2> <center> United States of America v. Claudiu Pesteleu </h2> </center>
Las Cruces, New Mexico, criminal defense lawyers Gabriel Perez and Jessica Martin represented the Defendant charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Claudiu Pesteleu, age 44, a Romanian national illegally in the United States participated in a nationwide fraud scheme that used fake websites impersonating legitimate businesses to trick victims into wiring money for various consumer products... More...
$ (03-09-2026 - NM)<H2> United States of America v. Robert J. Padilla, Jr.
Albuquerque, New Mexico, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with orchestrating a retaliatory killing tied to a violent prison gang and for using violence and intimidation to protect an ongoing drug trafficking operation. Robert Padilla, 48, was an associate of the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico (SNM), a prison-based gang whose members and associates engaged in murder, drug tr... More...
$ (12-19-2025 - NM)<H2> United States of America v. Robert Padilla
Albuquerque, New Mexico, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with orchestrating a retaliatory killing tied to a violent prison gang and for using violence and intimidation to protect an ongoing drug trafficking operation. Robert Padilla, 48, was an associate of the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico (SNM), a prison-based gang whose members and associates engaged in murder, drug tr... More...
$ (12-19-2025 - NM)<H2> United States of America v. Jason Pete Roper
Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with committing a Hobbs Act robbery. 2 I. On August 14, August 15, and September 8, 2022—while he was completing a term of supervised release imposed for a previous federal conviction—Roper robbed three Ross Dress For Less stores, stealing a total of approximately $1,800. A few days later, he failed a dru... More...
$ (11-18-2025 - NM)<H2> United States of America v. Jason Pete Roper
Albuquerque, New Mexico, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with three counts of Hobbs Act robbery, 18 U.S.C. 1951.<br> <br> On August 14, August 15, and September 8, 2022—while he was completing a<br> term of supervised release imposed for a previous federal conviction—Roper robbed<br> three Ross Dress For Less stores, stealing a total of approximately $1,800... More...
$0 (11-19-2025 - NM)<h1> United States of America v. Orangie Lee Fisher </h1></h1>
<font color="red"><b><h2><center>Las Cruces, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Fentanyl Trafficking Operation </font/color="red"></b></center></i></i><b><center></i><b> </b><br> Las Cruces Man Sentenced to Over 10 Years for Role in Fentanyl Trafficking Operation</h2></center></b></b></center></><br> </font/color="red"></b></center></i></i><b><center></i>... More...
$0 (08-11-2025 - NM)<h1> United States of America v. Gerald Anthony Lopez </h1></h1>
<font color="red"><b><h2><center>Las Cruces, New Mexicoa criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Federal Drug, Firearms, and Immigration-Related Offenses </font/color="red"></b></center></i></i><b><center></i><b> </b><br> Deming Teenager Charged in Federal Drug, Firearms, and Immigration-Related Offenses</h2></center></b></b></center></><br> </font/color="red"></b></cen... More...
$0 (08-11-2025 - NM)<h1> United States of America v. Juan Hugo Lugo </h1>
<font color="red"><b><h2><center> Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Drug Trafficking </font/color="red"></b></center></i></i><b><center></i><br> <b> </b> U.S. Attorney's Office Secures 19-Year Sentence in Drug Trafficking Case </h2></center></b></b> </h2></center></b><br> <br> <br> On June 14, 2023, a BIA K9 Officer observed Juan Hu... More...
$0 (01-30-2025 - NM)<h1> United States of America v. Stacy Underwood, David Wellington, Jerry Shrock </h1>
<font color="red"><b><h2><center> Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendants charged with Multi-Million Dollar Tax Evasion Scheme </font/color="red"></b></center></i></i><b><center></i><br> <b> </b> U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Final Sentencing of Trio Which Orchestrated a Multi-Million Dollar Tax Evasion Scheme</h2></center></b></b> </h2></center></b>... More...
$0 (01-24-2025 - NM)United States of America v. Vincente Villela
Denver, Colorado criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with violating the conditions of supervised release.<br> <br> In 2023, Defendant-Appellant Vicente Villela was serving two concurrent<br> terms of supervised release. He violated his conditions of supervision on four<br> separate occasions. After the fourth violation, the district court revoked both of<br> Mr. Villela's su... More...
$0 (12-23-2024 - NM)United States of America v. Santiago Martinez
Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with murder in Indian Country.<br> <br> On November 12 and 13, 2021, Suazo and her boyfriend of 10 years,<br> Martinez, both of whom were 29 years old, were at their residence in Taos<br> Pueblo, New Mexico. After Suazo and Martinez went grocery shopping<br> together the evening of the 12th, Suazo prepared dinner at ... More...
$0 (11-19-2024 - NM)<h1> United States of America v. Delbert Tyler Trevino </h1>
<font color="red"><b><h2><center>Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with illegally possessing firearms and ammunition while under felony indictment </font </color="red"></b></center></i></i><b><center></i><br> <b> </b> U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentencing of Las Cruces Man for Federal Firearms Offenses</h2></center></b></b> </h2></cent... More...
$0 (11-12-2024 - NM)State of New Mexico v. Kassidy Espana
<h2><br> Alamogordo, New Mexico drug possession criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant.<br> <h2><br> <br> The State of New Mexico sought to revoke Defendant's probation and reinstated Defendant's probation for a five-year term, equal to her original probation sentence. The State's petition was premised upon allegations that Defendant "consumed, bought, sold, distributed or possessed a c... More...
$0 (09-12-2024 - NM)Angela Martinez v. Olivia Montoya
<h2><br> Aztec, New Mexico personal injury wrongful death lawyer represented the Plaintiffs.<br> </h2><br> <br> Angela Martinez and Manuel Montoya brought a wrongful death claim for the death of their daughter, Zyanna Montoya (Decedent). Appellant Olivia Montoya, Decedent's grandmother, moved to intervene under Rule 1-024(A) NMRA, arguing that as a matter of right she was entitled to be a party be... More...
$0 (09-16-2024 - NM)<h1> United States of America v. Eric Watson </h1>
<font color="red"><b><h2><center> <br> Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Assault </font </color="red"></b></center></i></i><b><center></i><br> <b> </b> U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentencing in Tohatchi Assault Case</h2></center></b></b> </h2></center></b><br> <br> On the morning of December 9, 2022, Eric Watson, 23, an enrolled me... More...
$0 (09-05-2024 - NM)<h1> United States of America v. Leon Ruben Salazar </h1>
<font color="red"><b><h2><center> Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Federal Firearms Offenses.</font color="red"></b></h2></center></i></i><br> <b><h2><center><i></b> Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Federal Firearms Offenses </h2></center<br> <br> An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to being a prohibi... More...
$0 (04-12-2024 - NM)<h1> United States of America v. Arturo Archuleta </h1>
<font color="red"><b><h2><center><i> Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with tax evasion. </font color="red"></b></h2></center></i></i><br> <b><h2><center><i></b> Archuleta was also ordered to pay approximately $90,000 in restitution </h2></center></i></font color="red"><br> <br> Arturo Archuleta, 50, of Albuquerque, paid approximately $140,000 in ... More...
$0 (03-25-2024 - NM)State of New Mexico v. Lalo Anthony Castrillo
Las Cruces, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented Defendant charged with intentional abuse of a child resulting in death.<br> <br> Lalo Anthony Castrillo was charged for causing the death of Faviola Rodriguez, 2, in September 2018. <br> <br> Castrillo was babysitting his girlfriends child at the time she allegedly suffered a brain injury as a result of blunt force trauma to her head.<br> ... More...
$0 (09-01-2023 - NM)United States of America v. Russell Wheeler
Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented Defendant charged with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of attempt to manufacture methamphetamine.<br> <br> On May 22, 2021, following an argument, Russell Wheeler, age 51, from Lunas, New Mexcio, shot a man in the head, at close range, with a revolver before fleeing the scene on foot. T... More...
$0 (07-10-2023 - NM)United States of America v. Arturo Archuleta
Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented Defendant charged with tax evasion.<br> <br> From 2014 to 2018, Arturo Archuleta worked as an office manager at ABQ Injury Clinic, a chiropractic medicine practice in Albuquerque. During that time, Archuleta derived approximately $200,000 from his role at ABQ Injury Clinic. In the same period, Archuleta also took checks made out to ABQ In... More...
$0 (05-16-2023 - NM)United States of America v. t Everett Paquin
Albuquerque, New Mexico criminl defense lawyer represented Defendant charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.<br> <br> On Dec. 21, 2020, Everett Paquin, age 59, assaulted his then-girlfriend, identified in court records as Jane Doe, at his home on the Pueblo of Isleta. Paquin admitted to pushing, slapping, punching and kicking the vi... More...
$0 (01-06-2023 - NM)United States of America v. Ali Godoy
Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal lawyer represented Defendant charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses<br> <P><br> On April 4, task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Albuquerque District Office and the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) executed a search warrant on Godoy's apartment on Pennsylvania Street in Albuquerque. During the search, investigators lo... More...
$0 (09-08-2022 - NM)United States of America v. John Seibel
Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal law lawyer represented defendant charged with two counts of distribution of 50 grams and more of a substance and mixture containing methamphetamine, four counts of distribution of 40 grams and more of fentanyl, two counts of distribution of 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlle... More...
$0 (08-05-2022 - NM)United States of America v. Wallace Reid Rice
Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented defendant charged with felony possession of a firearm.<br> <br> on July 25, 2021, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Police responded to a report of domestic violence at Wallace Reid Rice's residence on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. An investigation revealed that Rice was in possession of a 9mm handgun and ammunition. At the time, Rice ha... More...
$0 (06-27-2022 - NM)United States of America v. Eddie Gomez
Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented defendant charged with two counts of aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country. Gomez pleaded guilty on Feb. 28, 2022.<br> <br> Between May 28, 20212, and May 27, 2014, Eddie Gomez, age 30, of Albuquerque, sexually abused Jane Doe 1 in her home on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation. Gomez also admitted to sexually abusing Jane Doe 2 on Nov.... More...
$0 (06-10-2022 - NM)United States of America v. Guy Anthony Garica
Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense lawyer represented defendant charged with attempted possession with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of fentanyl, attempted possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, and attempted possession with intent to distribute 100 grams and more of heroin. <br> <br> Guy Anthony Garcia, age 21, of Albuquerque, admitted that on De... More...
$0 (04-29-2022 - NM)United States of America v. Marion L. Ledford
Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense attorney represented defendant charged with tax evasion. <br> <br> Marion L. Ledford, 67, of Alamogordo, New Mexico, was indicted for tax evasion for submitting a personal income tax return on April 28, 2016, that substantially underreported Ledford's taxable income for 2015. Ledford pleaded guilty on Nov. 20, 2019.<br> <br> According to the plea agreement ... More...
$0 (02-15-2022 - NM)United States of America v. Gregory Diaz
Albuquerque, New Mexico criminal defense attorney represented defendant charged with felony possession of ammunition.<br> <br> Gregory Diaz, 34, of Farmington, New Mexico, was charge for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.<br> <br> According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Oct. 3, 2018, Diaz sold a .40 caliber pistol to an undercover law enforcement officer. ... More...
$0 (12-23-2021 - NM)State of New Mexico v. Johnathan Lujan-Sierra
<center><h2><font color="red"> Albuquerque, NM - Criminal defense attorney represented Johnathon Lujan-Sierra with a child solicitation by electronic communication device (child solicitation), and appearing for a meeting with a child under thirteen years of age charge. </h2></font></b></i></center><br> <br> 13 {2} Given that the parties are familiar with the facts and details of this case, this <... More...
$0 (05-23-2021 - NM)State of New Mexico v. Patricio D. Ortegon
<center><h2><font color="red"> Albuquerque, NM - Criminal defense attorney represented STEVEN BLACK with appealing his convictions of possession of a controlled substance and tampering with evidence</h2></font></b></i></center><br> <br> Defendant appeals his convictions of possession of a controlled substance and <br> 19 tampering with evidence, challenging the sufficiency of the evidence to suppo... More...
$0 (04-24-2021 - NM)STATE OF NEW MEXICO v. LUIS MARTINEZ
<h2><font color="black"> Albuquerque, NM - Criminal defense lawyer represented defendant Luis Martinez charged with criminal sexual contact of a minor in the third degree (child under 13).</h2></font><br> <br> <br> 4 {2} Defendant was charged with multiple counts of CSCM for sexually abusing<br> 5 Victim, who was twelve years old, during two separate incidents on Thanksgiving<br> 6 Day 2014. Vic... More...
$0 (10-15-2020 - NM)STATE OF NEW MEXICO v. CHRISTOPHER VALDIVIA
<h2><font color="black"> Las Cruces, NM - Criminal defense lawyer represented defendant Christopher Valdivia charged with possession of a controlled substance, tampering with evidence, battery upon a peace officer, and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer </h2></font><br> <br> Officer Veronica De La O of the Las Cruces Police Department testified at<br> 6 the suppression hearing as follow... More...
$0 (10-14-2020 - NM)United States of America v. Pueblo of Santa Aana; Pueblo of Jemez; Pueblo of Zia, et al.
Santa Fe, New Mexico Indian water law attorneys<br> <br> <center><br> <img width="400" src="http://www.morelawtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Santa_Fe_Fed.gif"><br> </center><br> <br> The Pueblos of Jemez, Santa Ana, and Zia have resided along the Jemez River<br> in northern New Mexico since time immemorial; they resided there as their lands<br> passed from Spanish sovereignty, to Mexican sovere... More...
$0 (09-30-2020 - NM)United States of America v. Jerry Twaddle
Albuquerque, NM - Criminal Law, Drug Trafficking<br> <br> <center><br> <img width="400" src="http://www.morelawtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AlbuquerqueFed.jpg"><br> </center><br> <br> The United States of America charged Jerry Twaddle, ate 40, with drug trafficking.<br> <br> On Feb. 6, 2019, a jury found Twaddle guilty on charges of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, using a co... More...
$0 (09-20-2020 - NM)United States of America v. Inocente Rivera
<center><br> <img width="400" src="http://www.morelawtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AlbuquerqueFed.jpg"><br> </center><br> <br> Albuquerque, NM - The United States of America charged Inocente Rivera, age 20, with conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 kilogr... More...
$0 (07-30-2020 - NM)United States of America v. Selmonio Davis
<center><br> <img width="400" src="http://www.morelawtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AlbuquerqueFed.jpg"><br> </center><br> <br> Albuquerque, NM - TheUnited States of America charged Selmonio Davis, age 34, with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.<br> <br> Accordin... More...
$0 (06-19-2020 - NM)United States of America v. Cody Laweka
<center><br> <img width="400" src="http://www.morelawtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AlbuquerqueFed.jpg"><br> </center><br> <br> Albuquerque, NM - The United States of America charged Cody Laweka with possession with intent to distribute meth.<br> <br> Cody Laweka, 29, of Zuni, New Mexico was sentenced in federal court in Albuquerque today to four years in prison for possession with the intent ... More...
$0 (04-21-2020 - NM)United States of America v. Francisco Armando Martinez
The Fourth Amendment protects citizens from unreasonable seizures by law<br> enforcement. If an inquisitive agent approaches someone who does not want to<br> respond, all the person must do is say so. But if one voluntarily answers an agent’s<br> non-coercive questions, the conversation falls outside the scope of the Fourth<br> Amendment even if, as is the case here, it reveals a crime. Defendan... More...
$0 (11-20-2019 - NM)United States of America v. Michael Benitez-Lopez, a/k/a "Mikey"
Denver, CO - Denver Man Convicted Of Large-Scale Cocaine Trafficking Sentenced To Lengthy Prison Term<br> <br> Michael Benitez-Lopez, aka �Mikey� aka �Money Mike�, age 27 of Denver, Colorado, was sentenced late last week by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer to serve 180 months (15 years) in federal prison for distributing large quantities of cocaine. Following... More...
$0 (11-10-2019 - NM)