Las Cruces Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Federal Cocaine Trafficking Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE – Daniel Alan Aran, 30, of Las Cruces, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on a cocaine trafficking charge.

Aran was arrested in June 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him possession of cocaine with intent to distribute on Jan. 28, 2016, in Dona Ana County, N.M.  According to the complaint, law enforcement officers seized 36.5 grams of cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia from Aran, his vehicle and his residence during the execution of a search warrant.  According to the complaint, Aran was on probation at the time.

Aran subsequently was indicted on Nov. 9, 2016, and was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.  On Feb. 1, 2017, Aran pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that on Jan. 28, 2016, law enforcement officers observed Aran throw a bag of cocaine out of his vehicle and later located a small bag of cocaine in his pants pocket and 36 grams of cocaine, drug paraphernalia and marijuana inside his apartment.  Aran further admitted that he intended to distribute the cocaine to other individuals.

This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee L. Camacho of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.