David Kingsbeck, 43, of Farmington, N.M., admitted in federal court today to selling heroin and a loaded firearm to an undercover agent — capping a narcotics investigation that exposed a dangerous drug and gun operation in San Juan County.
Kingsbeck pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He admitted that on December 29, 2015, he sold approximately 12.8 grams of heroin along with a firearm and ammunition to an undercover law enforcement officer. At the time, Kingsbeck was legally barred from possessing any weapons due to prior felony convictions for criminal conspiracy to commit theft and attempted escape from felony custody.
The arrest stemmed from a broader probe into methamphetamine trafficking in the region. Kingsbeck was initially arrested on March 4, 2016, on a complaint alleging he sold 57 grams of meth to an undercover agent on February 16, 2016. He was later indicted alongside co-defendant Rupesh Bhakta, 38, also of Farmington, on charges of conspiracy and meth distribution tied to the same February incident.
Kingsbeck now faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison. He remains in custody awaiting a sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled. His plea agreement strips him of any chance at leniency for the gun and heroin sale — a deal prosecutors say reflects the severity of arming addicts while flooding communities with deadly narcotics.
Bhakta, his co-defendant, pleaded guilty on December 8, 2016, to distribution of methamphetamine, admitting he handed over the drug to an undercover agent on February 16, 2016. Under his plea deal, Bhakta faces 24 to 60 months in federal prison and remains jailed pending sentencing.
The case was investigated by the DEA’s Albuquerque office and the New Mexico State Police, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rumaldo R. Armijo as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. Launched in 2015, HOPE targets major opioid traffickers through coordinated law enforcement, treatment, and community outreach. More information is available at HopeInitiativeNM.org.
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Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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