Albuquerque Police, DEA Seize Guns, Drugs In Operation

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

Authorities seized large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and guns on Tuesday after busting an Albuquerque-based drug ring with alleged ties to a Mexican cartel.

Gary Merino-Ramirez, 35, Reynaldo Vargas, 45, Ashley Lucas, 30, and Oscar Barrera-Maytorena, who is 26 or 27, have all been charged federally with drug and/or gun charges.

It is unclear if the three men have an attorney and an attorney for Lucas declined to comment.

Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said in all officers and DEA agents found 15 guns, two of them stolen, 45,000 fentanyl pills, $45,000 in cash and one pound of meth in connection with the operation.

Gallegos said Lucas and her boyfriend Barrera-Maytorena are believed to run drugs from Arizona to New Mexico and Barrera-Maytorena, a Mexican national, has potential ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.

The reported cartel ties are not documented in federal court records but Lucas allegedly told authorities the couple brought fentanyl from Phoenix to Albuquerque to sell.

“Today’s bust is the result of many hours of investigation and partnerships between APD’s narcotics detectives and our partners from the DEA, …” Albuquerque police Chief Harold Medina said in a statement. “… This was an amazing team effort that helps us keep the pressure on the criminals who are driving drug trafficking and gun violence in the Metro area.”

On May 3 Merino-Ramirez, also known as “Demon,” sold $400 in fentanyl and meth to an undercover DEA agent, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court. Gallegos said, in all, undercover detectives bought over 2,000 fentanyl pills from Merino-Ramirez before he introduced them to Vargas.

Gallegos said Vargas, also known as “Gumby,” was “described as a main person who runs the Albuquerque drug trade” and a member of the prison gang “Los Carnales.”

On May 12 Vargas, who went by “Gumby,” sold an undercover DEA agent over $5,000 worth of fentanyl and meth, according to a second criminal complaint.

Gallegos said Vargas sold drugs and a gun to undercover detectives over several meetings. He said officers moved in on Tuesday to arrest Merino-Ramirez and Vargas and searched both of their homes — finding more than a dozen guns, a handgun silencer and large amounts of fentanyl, cash and meth.

After those arrests DEA agents learned Lucas and Barrera-Maytorena were in possession of a large amount of drugs, according to a third criminal complaint. Agents allegedly found the couple in a vehicle — with 20,000 fentanyl pills and a stolen gun — near a Walmart in Northeast Albuquerque.

Agents said Lucas told them she and Barrera-Maytorena brought the drugs from Phoenix to sell and used the firearm “for protection.” Barrera-Maytorena allegedly told agents he went to the drug deal with Lucas “for her protection.”

Albuquerque Journal