ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Lionel Gerardo Rojas, 72, of Lake Forest, California, finally admitted guilt in federal court today for a 2016 heroin trafficking operation. Rojas pled guilty to possessing heroin with intent to distribute, a charge stemming from a significant drug seizure at the Albuquerque Greyhound Bus Station.
On August 31, 2016, DEA agents intercepted Rojas and discovered approximately 2.1 kilograms (4.62 pounds) of heroin meticulously hidden within three bundles inside his backpack. The arrest followed an interdiction investigation targeting drug runners utilizing public transportation. Rojas was initially charged by criminal complaint and subsequently indicted on September 27, 2016, in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
During the plea hearing, Rojas confessed to transporting the heroin from Phoenix, Arizona, to New Mexico via Greyhound bus. He further admitted the final destination of the deadly cargo: Columbus, Ohio, where it was intended for wider distribution. This wasn’t a personal stash; Rojas was a mule, a cog in a larger, more dangerous network.
Rojas remains in federal custody, awaiting a sentencing date that has yet to be determined. He now faces a potential maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars. While a sentence isn’t guaranteed, the weight of the evidence and the severity of the crime suggest a lengthy prison term is likely.
This case was spearheaded by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rumaldo R. Armijo as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. Launched in January 2015, HOPE is a multi-faceted response to the devastating opioid epidemic gripping New Mexico, a state particularly hard hit by addiction and its associated consequences.
The HOPE Initiative isn’t just about arrests; it’s a comprehensive plan encompassing prevention, treatment, law enforcement, reentry programs, and strategic planning. The initiative targets major trafficking organizations like the one Rojas served, aiming to disrupt the flow of heroin and opioid painkillers into New Mexico communities. More information on the New Mexico HOPE Initiative can be found at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org. The fight against the opioid crisis continues, and every conviction, no matter the age of the defendant, sends a message: drug trafficking will not be tolerated.
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Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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