Las Cruces Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking Charge

ALBUQUERQUE – Sylvia A. Jasso, 48, of Las Cruces, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court to a methamphetamine trafficking charge under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Jasso and her co-defendant Mario L. Vaughns, 46, also of Las Cruces, were arrested in March 2015, and charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on March 7, 2015, in Doña Ana County, N.M.  According to the criminal complaint, on March 7, 2015, New Mexico State Police officers executed a traffic stop on Jasso’s vehicle based on information from the DEA that Jasso was routinely trafficking methamphetamine into Las Cruces.  Court documents indicate that law enforcement officers recovered approximately 262 grams of methamphetamine from under the floorboards of Jasso’s vehicle on March 7, 2015. 

Jasso and Vaughns were subsequently indicted on June 17, 2015, and charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on March 7, 2015, in Doña Ana County, N.M.

During today’s change of plea hearing, Jasso pled guilty to a felony information charging her with conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute.  Jasso admitted that on March 7, 2015, she and Vaughns traveled to Phoenix, Ariz., to pick up methamphetamine with the intention to travel back to Las Cruces to distribute the methamphetamine when they were stopped by law enforcement.

At sentencing, Jasso faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in federal prison followed by not less than three years of supervised release.  A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

Vaughns pled guilty to the indictment on Oct. 16, 2015, and admitted that on March 7, 2015, he and Jasso traveled to Phoenix to pick up methamphetamine, and were driving back to Las Cruces to distribute the methamphetamine when they were stopped by law enforcement who subsequently found the methamphetamine.  At sentencing, Vaughns faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison followed by not less than four years of supervised release.  A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the DEA and the New Mexico State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Saltman of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.