Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty in New Mexico to Violating Federal Narcotics Trafficking Laws

ALBUQUERQUE – Luis Juan Contreras-Cano, 20, of Albuquerque, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court in to a methamphetamine trafficking charge.  Under the terms of his plea agreement, Contreras-Cano will be sentenced to 97 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Contreras-Cano and his co-defendant Carlos Davenport, 41, of El Paso, Texas, were arrested on Dec. 13, 2014, in Bernalillo County, N.M., after law enforcement officers executed a consensual search on the vehicle in which Contreras-Cano and Davenport were traveling and found ten pounds of methamphetamine.  Contreras-Cano and Davenport were subsequently indicted on Jan. 8, 2015, and charged with conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Dec. 13, 2014, and using and carrying firearms in relation to a drug trafficking crime on Dec. 13, 2014.  All offenses took place in Bernalillo County.

During today’s proceedings, Contreras-Cano pled guilty to a felony information charging him with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.  In entering the guilty plea, Contreras-Cano admitted that while driving through Bernalillo County on Dec. 13, 2014, he and Davenport were stopped by Albuquerque Police officers who found ten pounds of methamphetamine, two firearms and ammunition during a consensual search of their vehicle.  Contreras-Cano further admitted that he and Davenport had acquired to the methamphetamine in Phoenix, Ariz., and were planning to redistribute the methamphetamine.

On June 17, 2015, Davenport pled guilty to Counts 1 and 3 of the indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.  Under the terms of his plea agreement, Davenport will be sentenced to 15 years in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Contreras-Cano and Davenport have been in federal custody since they were arrested.  They remain detained pending their sentencing hearings, which have not been scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque offices of the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Albuquerque Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys James R.W. Braun and Joel R. Meyers are prosecuting the case.