Arizona Man Convicted of Methamphetamine Trafficking

Grimy Times Exclusive:

Matthew Maley, 46, of Tucson, Ariz., was convicted of methamphetamine trafficking by a federal jury in Las Cruces, New Mexico, after a four-day trial.

Maley was found guilty on five counts, including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, methamphetamine distribution, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The jury delivered its verdict today, concluding the trial.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Maley was the head of a drug trafficking organization that distributed significant quantities of methamphetamine in New Mexico and Arizona. Undercover officers made several controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Maley and his co-defendants, including the purchase of a pound of methamphetamine on August 21, 2013.

Maley has a prior drug trafficking felony conviction, which enhances his sentence to a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison on the methamphetamine trafficking charges. He faces a maximum of life in prison on the methamphetamine trafficking charges and a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in prison on the firearms charge. His sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

Co-defendants Jennifer Sanders, Jose Luis Niño, Aubrey Savage, and Candice Marie Carpenter all entered guilty pleas to various counts of the superseding indictment. Savage admitted to distributing methamphetamine on seven separate occasions, and Niño admitted to possessing 274 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of ammunition.

Maley has been in federal custody since his arrest on December 4, 2013, and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing. His conviction is a significant blow to the methamphetamine trafficking organization he led in New Mexico and Arizona.

U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez announced the guilty verdict, praising the work of the FBI’s Albuquerque Division and the Las Cruces/Doña Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency. The case is a testament to the dedication of law enforcement agencies in New Mexico and Arizona to combating methamphetamine trafficking in the region.

RELATED: Identity Thief Raked in $114K Using Dead Man’s Social Security

RELATED: ID Theft Nets $110k