Albuquerque’s Eckstein Pleads Guilty to Narcotics Money Laundering

ALBUQUERQUE – Jerome Eckstein, 39, of Albuquerque, has been hit with a severe blow to his criminal empire as he pleads guilty today to money laundering charges linked to a major narcotics trafficking organization.

Eckstein is one of 19 defendants who faced drug trafficking and money laundering accusations in a sprawling 60-count indictment. The indictment was expanded twice, first in February 2014 with the addition of a new defendant and witness tampering charge, and again in September 2014, when another witness tampering charge and a heroin trafficking charge were appended.

The investigation into Eckstein’s activities, led by the FBI, IRS, Albuquerque Police Department, DEA, HIDTA Region I Narcotic Task Force, and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, was code-named ‘Operation Rain Check.’ This initiative, part of the OCDETF program, aimed to dismantle major drug trafficking organizations through a coordinated federal-local effort.

According to the original indictment, Christopher Roybal, 35, of Albuquerque, along with ten others, were accused of distributing large quantities of cocaine and marijuana between August 2011 and December 2012. The case also included three money laundering conspiracies, 22 specific money laundering offenses, and 18 ‘telephone counts,’ which alleged the use of communication devices to facilitate drug trafficking.

In today’s hearing, Eckstein confessed that between November 2011 and December 2012, he accepted substantial cash from an undercover agent in a sting operation. He acknowledged that he knew the money was tied to drugs, yet he used checks to pay back the undercover agent under false pretenses. Charges are pending against two other defendants who have entered not guilty pleas.

This case’s investigation and prosecution were carried out by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, Albuquerque Police Department, DEA, HIDTA Region I Narcotics Task Force, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel R. Meyers, Shana B. Long, and Stephen R. Kotz handling the civil asset forfeiture actions.