Esteban Renteria III, Fentanyl Trafficking, New Mexico 2021

Los Lunas Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearms Violations

A 26-year-old Los Lunas man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a fentanyl trafficking operation.

Esteban Renteria III, a resident of Los Lunas, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on July 26, 2021, to possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams and more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The charges against Renteria stem from a traffic stop on December 31, 2020, by a New Mexico State Police Officer on Interstate 40 in Cibola County, New Mexico. During the stop, Renteria was found to be driving 102 miles per hour and had two active arrest warrants.

Upon arresting Renteria, the officer performed an inventory of items in the vehicle and found a backpack containing $12,012 in cash and a loaded handgun. A search warrant was subsequently obtained, and investigators found 184 grams of fentanyl.

Renteria admitted in his plea agreement that he intended to sell the fentanyl, that the cash was obtained by selling drugs, and that he possessed the firearm to protect his drug business.

As part of his sentence, Renteria will be subject to five years of supervised release upon his release from prison. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the New Mexico State Police, with assistance from the Cibola County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Mark Pfizenmayer prosecuted the case.

Renteria's sentence serves as a reminder of the severe consequences of engaging in fentanyl trafficking and related crimes. The New Mexico community will be safer with him behind bars.

The investigation and prosecution of Renteria's case highlight the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the role of federal authorities in combating drug trafficking and firearms offenses.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/los-lunas-man-sentenced-10-years-drug-trafficking-and-firearms-violations