Arizona Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Heroin Trafficking Charge in New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE – Vanessa Guadalupe Munoz-Mungaray, 25, of Tuscon, Ariz., pleaded guilty today to a heroin trafficking charge in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Munoz-Mungaray was arrested on a criminal complaint charging her with a heroin trafficking offense after the DEA seized approximately 3.55 kilograms (7.37 pounds) of heroin from her during an interdiction investigation at the Greyhound Bus Station in Albuquerque on July 21, 2015.  The heroin was contained in eight bundles that were concealed in false compartments inside Munoz-Mungaray’s luggage.  Munoz-Mungaray was subsequently indicted on Aug. 11, 2015, and charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute. 

During today’s proceedings, Munoz-Mungaray pled guilty to possession of heroin with intent to distribute and admitted that on July 21, 2015, she possessed 2.99 net kilograms of heroin, which were wrapped in bundles and concealed in false compartments in her luggage while traveling through Albuquerque on the Greyhound Bus.  Munoz-Mungaray further admitted that she was paid to transport the narcotics to New York.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley.

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 and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative.