Reydecel Lopez-Ordonez Sentenced for Heroin Trafficking

ALBUQUERQUE – Reydecel Lopez-Ordonez, 23, of Albuquerque, N.M., faced a judge’s stern gaze as he was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison today for his role in a heroin trafficking conspiracy. The sentence, handed down by the court, also mandates four years of supervised release following his incarceration.

Lopez-Ordonez, who has been ordered to forfeit $10,752 in drug proceeds and his interest in an Albuquerque residence, pleaded guilty on October 19, 2016, to distributing heroin and using a communication device to facilitate drug trafficking. His crimes, which spanned from November 2014 to September 2015, included the sale of 568 grams of heroin to an undercover agent in exchange for $26,000.

“This sentencing sends a clear message that we will not tolerate those who traffic dangerous drugs on our streets,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Shaheen P. Torgoley.

The investigation leading to Lopez-Ordonez’s conviction was part of a massive DEA operation that targeted the drug trafficking organization he was associated with. The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, which combines federal and local law enforcement resources, played a key role in disrupting the network.

Other members of the conspiracy, including Gonzalo Montenegro-Coronel, 31, Esther Ordonez, 48, Miguel Ordonez, 23, and Fernando Gomez-Campos, 21, are also facing charges. Gomez-Campos pleaded guilty on March 10, 2017, for his role in the conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.

The Albuquerque office of the DEA and the HIDTA Region I Drug Task Force conducted this investigation, highlighting the importance of coordinated law enforcement efforts to combat drug trafficking in critical areas.

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