News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 23, 2011
Contact: Diana Apocada
915-832-6074

Eighty-Four Defendants Charged with Drug Trafficking
Offenses as a Result of DEA "MET" Operation in Roswell, New Mexico

Joseph Arabit, SAC El Paso Division, James R. "Rob" Coon, Chaves County Sheriff, and Al Solis, Chief, Roswell Police Chief announce results of MET operation.

SEP 23 – ALBUQUERQUE -- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit and United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales announced that 57 Roswell residents have been charged with federal drug trafficking offenses in 45 federal indictments and six federal criminal complaints that were unsealed yesterday. Another 27 Roswell residents have been charged with state drug trafficking offenses in state criminal complaints, and are being prosecuted by Janetta B. Hicks, District Attorney for the 5th Judicial District of the State of New Mexico.

The charges against the 84 defendants are the result of an intensive three-month long investigation led by a Mobile Enforcement Team (MET) from the DEA’s El Paso Division Office in conjunction with Chaves County Metro Narcotics HIDTA Task Force. Most of the 84 defendants were arrested yesterday in a massive law enforcement operation involving more than a hundred and fifty federal, state and local law enforcement officers. Officers also executed six federal search warrants at five residences and one business in Roswell during yesterday’s operation.

As of early this morning, 49 of the 57 federal defendants and 17 of the 27 state defendants were in custody. Eight federal defendants and ten state defendants have yet to be arrested and are considered fugitives. Many of the defendants are charged with distributing methamphetamine. Others are charged with distributing cocaine, heroin, marijuana and prescription drugs. The defendants made their initial court appearances in Roswell yesterday. The federal defendants remain in custody pending detention hearings that will be held in federal court in Las Cruces next week.

The DEA’s MET program was created in 1995 in response to violent drug-trafficking organizations in towns and cities across the nation. MET teams are deployed on a temporary basis to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement in the disruption or dismantlement of violent drug trafficking. There have been 14 MET deployments in New Mexico since the inception of the program. The MET deployment in Roswell was initiated based on a request from U.S. Attorney Gonzales and the Roswell Police Department to address a surge in violent criminal street gang activity directly associated with drug trafficking in Chaves County.

During the MET’s three-month investigation, agents made approximately 60 undercover drug buys and executed four federal search warrants in addition to the search warrants that were executed yesterday. In addition, the agents seized 14 firearms, including four AK-47 rifles, four AR-15 rifles, and six semi-automatic handguns, during the investigation. Prior to yesterday’s operation, 2,446 gross grams of methamphetamine, 861 gross grams of cocaine, 338 gross grams of heroin, 133 gross grams of marijuana and pharmaceutical narcotics were obtained through undercover drug purchases and seizures. During yesterday’s operation, agents seized an additional five firearms including a shotgun, five vehicles, and quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, marijuana and pharmaceutical narcotics.

In announcing yesterday’s arrests, U.S. Attorney Gonzales commended the cooperative efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement, and said: “Earlier this year, community leaders in Roswell asked my Office to work with them in tackling the escalating drug trafficking and gang related violence in Chaves County. We immediately agreed, and enlisted the help of our federal law enforcement partners, like Mr. Arabit and the DEA. Together, we embarked on a coordinated effort to crackdown on drug trafficking and gang violence in Chaves County, and to help bring about positive change for the people who live there. Although yesterday’s law enforcement operation was part of our response to Roswell’s request for help, it is also part of our statewide fight against drugs and the cycle of violence that goes hand in hand with drug trafficking. The federal law enforcement community remains committed to working with Ms. Hicks, Police Chief Al Solis, Sheriff Rob Coon as well as other state and local officials to safeguard families throughout New Mexico.â€