California Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Trafficking Conviction in New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE – Jesus Omar Morales-Anguiano, 35, of Hesperia, Calif., was sentenced today in Albuquerque, N.M., to 60 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for his narcotics trafficking conviction.

Morales-Anguiano was arrested in July 2015, after law enforcement officers found approximately 394.09 grams (.86 pounds) of heroin, 29.66 grams (.06 pounds) of cocaine and 28.46 grams (.06 pounds) of methamphetamine in his vehicle during a traffic stop. According to the criminal complaint, Maestas agreed to have a narcotics canine inspect his vehicle, and after the canine alerted to the presence of drugs, the officers located the wrapped packages concealed in the vehicle’s stereo unit.

Morales-Anguiano was subsequently indicted on Aug. 12, 2015, and charged with possession of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine with intent to distribute on July 21, 2015, in Bernalillo County, N.M.

Morales-Anguiano entered a guilty plea to the indictment on Dec. 20, 2016, and admitted that on July 21, 2015, he possessed heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine while he was driving to Albuquerque from California. Morales-Anguiano further admitted that he was to be paid when he arrived back in California.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Letitia C. Simms prosecuted the case as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico.

The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. HOPE’s law enforcement component 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. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.