ALBUQUERQUE – Ricky Gallegos, 41, of Jarales, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 12 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for his methamphetamine trafficking conviction. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez and Special Agent in Charge Will R. Glaspy of the DEA’s El Paso Division.
Gallegos was arrested in Jan. 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Jan. 20, 2015, in Bernalillo County, N.M. According to the criminal complaint, Gallegos fled from DEA agents after they observed him participate in a drug transaction. After a brief pursuit, the agents apprehended Gallegos who was in possession of 1.20 kilograms (2.6 pounds) of methamphetamine which he attempted to conceal by burying the drugs under his vehicle.
Gallegos was indicted on the same charge on Feb. 10, 2015. On April 16, 2015, Gallegos pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that on Jan. 20, 2015, he was in possession of 1.2 kilograms of methamphetamine. Gallegos acknowledged that while he was attempting to flee from the officers, he crashed his vehicle into a dirt pile. He further acknowledged that before the officers apprehended him, he buried the methamphetamine and his wallet in the wreckage.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shaheen P. Torgoley is prosecuting the case under 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 work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible. Because New Mexico’s violent crime rate, on a per capita basis, is one of the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community is collaborating to target repeat offenders from counties with the highest violent crime rates, including Bernalillo County, N.M., under this initiative.