ALBUQUERQUE – Gilbert Nick Montes, 36, of Roswell, N.M., pled guilty this morning in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to federal methamphetamine trafficking charges under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Montes was arrested on Nov. 30, 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with committing a methamphetamine trafficking offense in Chaves County, N.M. According to the complaint, on July 31, 2015, Montes received four pounds of methamphetamine, which he intended to distribute to other people.
Montes was subsequently indicted on March 8, 2016, and was charged with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. During today’s proceedings, Montes pled guilty to indictment, and admitted conspiring with others to distribute four pounds of methamphetamine.
At sentencing, Montes faces a statutory minimum penalty of ten years and maximum of life in federal prison. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Roswell office of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy M. Castellano of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.