Las Cruces Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearms Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE – Armando Conrad Gonzales, 34, of Las Cruces, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court for his conviction on drug trafficking and firearms charges.  Gonzales was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release.

Gonzales was charged in July 2014, with two co-defendants who previously had been arrested.  Co-defendant Charles Douglas Notbohm, Jr., 51, of Tucson, Ariz., was arrested in Lordsburg, N.M., on Feb. 21, 2014, after officers executed a search warrant on the vehicle in which he was traveling and found more than 116 grams of methamphetamine.  On May 21, 2014, Notbohm and co-defendant James Richard Reeves, 46, also of Tucson, were indicted and charged with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.  On July 16, 2014, Notbohm, Reeves and Gonzales were charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.  The superseding indictment also charged Gonzales with being a felon in possession of a firearm

Gonzales pled guilty on Nov. 18, 2014, to Counts 1 and 3 of the superseding indictment, charging him with a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a firearm.  In entering his guilty plea, Gonzales admitted making an agreement with Reeves to purchase four ounces of methamphetamine from Reeves which Reeves and Notbohm were to transport from Tucson to Las Cruces.  Gonzales further admitted that on April 11, 2014, he possessed a firearm and ammunition even though he was prohibited from doing so based on his status as a convicted felon.  

On Sept. 18, 2014, Reeves pled guilty to the two methamphetamine trafficking charges in the superseding indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement.  At sentencing, Reeves faces a sentence of not less than five years and not more than 40 years in prison.  Reeves remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.

Notbohm pled guilty on Oct. 7, 2014, to a felony information charging him with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.  In entering his guilty plea, Notbohm admitted that on Feb. 21, 2014, he and Reeves were driving from Tucson to Las Cruces for the purpose of delivering methamphetamine to Gonzales.  He further admitted that as the two men were driving through Lordsburg, they were stopped by a police officer who found more than 116 grams of methamphetamine in their vehicle.  Notbohm was sentenced on Aug. 20, 2015, to 87 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. 

This case was investigated by Deming office of Homeland Security Investigations and the Lordsburg Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna R. Wright of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.