Owner of Sunland Park Smoke Shop Pleads Guilty to Selling Drug Paraphernalia

ALBUQUERQUE – Brenda Riveroll, 36, of El Paso, Texas, pled guilty today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to selling drug paraphernalia. The plea agreement recommends that Riveroll be sentenced to a five-year term of probation.

Riveroll was arrested on April 3, 2017, on an indictment charging her with selling drug paraphernalia. The indictment charged Riveroll with selling drug paraphernalia on May 3, 2016, and offering to sell drug paraphernalia on May 12, 2016. According to the indictment, Riveroll committed the crimes in Dona Ana County, N.M.

During today’s change of plea hearing, Riveroll pled guilty to the indictment. In her plea agreement, Riveroll acknowledged that she was the owner and sole employee of “The Smoke Shop,” located on Palomas Court in Sunland Park, N.M. Riveroll admitted that on May 3, 2016, she sold two pipes, designed for and intended for use in smoking marijuana, to undercover law enforcement officers. Riveroll also admitted that on May 3, 2016, and May 12, 2016, she had a large inventory of drug paraphernalia for sale at her place of business. The plea agreement states that on May 12, 2016, law enforcement officers searched “The Smoke Shop” and seized 1,409 assorted smoking instruments, including bongs, glass pipes and metal pipes, 80 grinders for grinding marijuana, and five scales for weighing controlled substances. Riveroll admitted knowing that the merchandise she sold and offered for sale at “The Smoke Shop” was likely to be used with illegal drugs.

This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the DEA and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brock E. Taylor of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.