ALBUQUERQUE, NM – David Kingsbeck, 43, of Farmington, New Mexico, is headed to federal prison after receiving a 37-month sentence today for a slew of drug and firearms violations. The sentence comes after Kingsbeck pled guilty to trafficking heroin and illegally possessing a firearm. He’ll have another three years of supervised release waiting for him when he gets out.
The bust began back on March 4, 2016, when Kingsbeck was initially arrested following a criminal complaint alleging he was dealing methamphetamine in San Juan County. The feds say he sold roughly 57 grams of the stuff to an undercover agent on February 16, 2016. His associate, Rupesh Bhakta, 38, also of Farmington, was quickly brought into the fold.
An indictment filed March 23, 2016, detailed a broader criminal enterprise. Kingsbeck was slapped with charges for being a felon in possession of a firearm – twice, on July 1, 2015, and December 30, 2015 – and distributing heroin on December 30, 2015. Bhakta and Kingsbeck were jointly accused of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine on February 16, 2016. The indictment made it clear this wasn’t a first offense for Kingsbeck; prior felony convictions for criminal conspiracy, theft, and escape already barred him from owning guns or ammo.
Kingsbeck finally caved on December 19, 2016, admitting in his guilty plea that he’d sold approximately 12.8 grams of heroin and a firearm with ammunition to another undercover agent on December 29, 2015. He acknowledged he was, in fact, prohibited from possessing any of it. Bhakta, too, cut a deal, pleading guilty on December 8, 2016, to distributing methamphetamine to an undercover agent on February 16, 2016. He’s looking at 24 to 60 months behind bars, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for May 11, 2017.
The investigation was a joint effort between the Albuquerque office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rumaldo R. Armijo is prosecuting the case as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. Launched in January 2015, HOPE is a response to the opioid crisis ravaging New Mexico, aiming to curb addiction, protect communities, and reduce opioid-related deaths.
The HOPE Initiative tackles the problem on five fronts: prevention and education, treatment, law enforcement, reentry programs, and strategic planning. The law enforcement component, spearheaded by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA, focuses on dismantling major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations. You can find more information about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Related Federal Cases
- Farmington Meth Dealer Brandon Smith Gets 5 Years · New Mexico
- Raton Woman Gets 66-Month Sentence for Heroin & Meth Trafficking · New Mexico
- Socorro Meth Dealer Martinez Gets Five Years · New Mexico
- Socorro Meth Dealer Gets 13 Years Federal Time · New Mexico
- El Paso Narc King Alejandro Carrillo Gets 46-Month Meth Sentence · Colorado
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News