Pine Hill Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Marijuana Trafficking Charge

ALBUQUERQUE – Patrick Martinez, 28, of Pine Hill, N.M., pleaded guilty this morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a marijuana trafficking charge.

Martinez was arrested on April 28, 2015, on a three-count indictment charging him with distributing marijuana.  The indictment alleged that Martinez distributed marijuana on three separate occasions between May 2014 and July 2014, in Cibola County, N.M.  Each of the three transactions took place on the Ramah Navajo Indian Reservation.

During his change of plea hearing, Martinez entered a guilty plea to Count 1 of the indictment and admitted selling marijuana to an undercover officer on May 2, 2014.

At sentencing, Martinez faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison.   His sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Ramah Navajo Tribal Police Department, the Albuquerque office of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services, and the Gallup office of the FBI.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Y. Ramirez is prosecuting the case.