11 plead not guilty in Barrio Azteca trial

By Ashley Meeks / Las Cruces Sun-News reporter
Posted: 05/27/2009 10:57:42 PM MDT

LAS CRUCES -- A group of southern New Mexico and Texas men arrested as part of a federal investigation targeting the Barrio Azteca gang all pleaded not guilty Wednesday to multiple drug distribution and conspiracy charges.

The defendants now await detention hearings that will determine if U.S. Magistrate Lourdes MartÃ*nez will release any on bond.

Gerardo Garcia-Carrillo, 36, of Las Cruces and 10 other men are charged with conspiring to distribute at least half a kilo of cocaine and more than 100 grams of heroin in Doña Ana County. The other 10 defendants individually face a variety of other drug-distribution and conspiracy charges:

Baltazar Gallegos, 36, of Sunland Park, three counts of distributing cocaine around July 24, Sept. 10 and Sept. 21, 2007.

Demetrio Meza, age unknown, of El Paso, two counts of distributing cocaine around Sept. 10, and Nov. 28, 2007.

Richard Sanchez, 34, of Anthony, N.M., two counts of distributing cocaine, once around Aug. 15, 2007, and once around June 18, 2008.

Victor Gaeta, 36, of Anthony, N.M., three counts of distributing cocaine around Aug. 15, 2007; June 3 and 18, 2008; and three counts of distributing heroin around Oct. 3 and 11, 2007, and Jan. 20, 2008. Gaeta also faces one count of using a telephone in furtherance of cocaine distribution around June 18, 2008.

Sucre Reyes, 36, of Sunland Park, faces two counts of distributing heroin around Oct. 3 and 11, 2007.

Pablo Carlos Romero, 38, of El Paso, faces three counts of distributing cocaine around June 14, June 20, and July 10, 2008. Romero also faces four counts of using a telephone in furtherance of cocaine distribution around May 8, May 21, June 18, and July 2, 2008.

Roberto Meza, 33, of Anthony, N.M., two counts of distributing cocaine around June 20 and July 10, 2008. He also faces one count of using a telephone in furtherance of cocaine distribution around July 2, 2008.

Eloy Rios, 35, of Anthony, Texas, one count of using a telephone in furtherance of cocaine distribution around May 8, 2008.

Armando Jacquez, 58, of Anthony, Texas, one count of using a telephone in furtherance of cocaine distribution around May 21, 2008.

Miguel Angel Romero, 29, of El Paso, one count of using a telephone in furtherance of cocaine distribution around June 14, 2008.

The conspiracy charge carries a sentence of five to 40 years in prison, up to $2 million in fines, four years supervised release and a $100 penalty. The drug-distribution charges carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison, fines of up to $1 million, three years supervised release and a $100 penalty. The communication charges carry penalties of up to four years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, one year supervised release and a $100 penalty.

The yearlong, multi-agency investigation targeted members and associates of the gang operating in southern Doña Ana County and west El Paso. Federal arrest warrants were executed in the days around May 21 by the FBI Southern New Mexico Safe Streets Gang Task Force.

The task force includes members of the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Department, Las Cruces/Doña Ana Metro Narcotics Agency, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, New Mexico State Police, New Mexico Motor Transportation Division, Las Cruces Police Department and El Paso County Sheriff's Department.

Ashley Meeks can be reached at ameeks@lcsun-news.com; (575) 541-5462

http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_12464418