ALBUQUERQUE – Two Albuquerque residents appeared in federal court today in connection with pending drug trafficking charges. Daniel Griego, 31, was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his cocaine trafficking conviction. Robert Henry Lovato, 44, entered a guilty plea to a methamphetamine trafficking charge under a plea agreement stipulating to a 48-month term of imprisonment.
Griego and Lovato were arrested during an ATF-led investigation that resulted in the filing of 59 federal indictments and one federal criminal complaint charging 104 Bernalillo County residents with federal firearms and narcotics trafficking offenses. The investigation began in mid-April 2016, when ATF personnel from throughout the country joined forces with federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies in New Mexico to combat the high rate of violent crime in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. The investigators utilized a number of investigative techniques, including undercover operations, historical investigation and targeting of multi-convicted felons in possession of firearms.
The investigation was undertaken in support of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies collaborate with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution primarily based on their prior criminal convictions with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.
Griego was arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with possessing a distribution quantity of cocaine on July 6, 2016, in Bernalillo County. According to the complaint, on that day, Griego sold approximately 507 grams of cocaine to an individual working with law enforcement. Griego was indicted on July 28, 2016, and charged with distributing cocaine on July 6, 2016. Griego entered a guilty plea to the indictment on Sept. 2, 2016.
Lovato was arrested on July 6, 2017, on an indictment charging him with distributing methamphetamine on April 19, 2016, in Bernalillo County. During today’s proceedings, Lovato entered a guilty plea to a felony information charging him with distributing methamphetamine. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
To date, 29 of the 104 defendants have entered guilty pleas and three have been sentenced. The remaining defendants, have entered not guilty pleas. Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
These cases were investigated by the Albuquerque office of ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Walsh prosecuted the case against Griego, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley is prosecuting the case against Lovato.