Brandon Smith, Methamphetamine Trafficking, New Mexico 2014
Farmington Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking Conviction
ALBUQUERQUE – Brandon Smith, 29, of Farmington, N.M., was sentenced this morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., for his methamphetamine trafficking conviction.
Smith was one of 29 individuals charged in February 2014, with drug trafficking charges as the result of a multi-agency investigation targeting drug trafficking in northwestern New Mexico.
The investigation culminated on February 26, 2014, when 26 of the defendants were arrested during a law enforcement operation led by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) and the HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force.
Smith was sentenced to five years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. He also was ordered to forfeit $3,520.00 in cash found in his possession when he was arrested in February 2014.
The 29 defendants were charged as a result of Operation 'Brown Ice,' a year-long investigation that initially targeted a methamphetamine trafficking organization led by Isaac Anaya that distributed quantities of methamphetamine throughout San Juan County and expanded to include other drug trafficking activity in the area.
Thirteen of the defendants, including ringleader Isaac Anaya, 31, of Farmington, N.M., were charged in a 15-count federal indictment alleging a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in San Juan County from May 2013 through September 2013.
The remaining 16 defendants were charged with state drug trafficking and firearms offenses based on criminal complaints. During the course of the investigation, officers seized approximately five pounds of methamphetamine and five firearms.
To date, seven of the 13 federal defendants, including Isaac Anaya, have entered guilty pleas and are pending sentencing. Five of the federal defendants have entered not guilty pleas to the indictment; they are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The federal and state cases filed as a result of Operation 'Brown Ice' were investigated by the HSI office in Albuquerque, San Juan County Sheriff's Office, HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force, Bloomfield Police Department, Farmington Police Department and Aztec Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reeve L. Swainston and Shana B. Long are prosecuting the federal case, and Assistant District Attorney David Cowen of the 11th Judicial District Attorney's Office is prosecuting the state cases.
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: Brandon Smith
Criminal Charges: Methamphetamine Trafficking
City and State: Farmington, New Mexico
Date: February 26, 2014 (arrest date) and June 9, 2024 (sentencing date)
Sentence: Five years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release
Dollar Amount: $3,520.00
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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