Related Federal Cases
- Brandon Smith, Methamphetamine Trafficking, New Mexico 2014 · Colorado
- Christopher O. Reza, Methamphetamine Trafficking, New Mexico 2014 · New Mexico
- Ronnie Dupree, Fentanyl Cocaine Methamphetamine Trafficking, New York 2024 · California
- Michael Stewart, Methamphetamine Possession with Intent to Distribute, New Mexico 2015 · New Mexico
- Christopher Roybal, Cocaine Trafficking and Money Laundering, New Mexico 2012 · California
Glen Joel Lester, 39, Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking Conviction
Albuquerque, New Mexico – Glen Joel Lester, a 39-year-old member of the Mescalero Apache Nation, was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his methamphetamine trafficking conviction, announced yesterday in federal court in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Lester’s conviction stems from an 18-month multi-agency investigation led by the DEA and BIA into methamphetamine trafficking on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. He was one of 34 individuals charged in December 2015 with federal and tribal drug offenses, including five members of the Mescalero Apache Tribe and 13 non-Natives.
The investigation, which began in May 2014, targeted a drug trafficking organization allegedly distributing methamphetamine within the Reservation. The investigation later expanded to include two other drug trafficking organizations in southeastern New Mexico that allegedly served as sources of supply for the methamphetamine distributed within the Reservation.
Lester was arrested on December 15, 2015, on an indictment charging him with two counts of methamphetamine distribution. He later pled guilty to both counts, admitting to selling methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement agent on two occasions.
Seventeen of the 18 federal defendants have entered guilty pleas, while the remaining defendant has entered a not guilty plea. Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
The federal and tribal cases were investigated by the Las Cruces office of the DEA, District IV of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services, BIA’s Division of Drug Enforcement, Mescalero Tribal Police Department, Hatch Police Department, FBI, and Lea County Drug Task Force.
Lester’s sentence of 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release serves as a reminder of the consequences of methamphetamine trafficking on our communities. The conviction is a significant step towards dismantling the methamphetamine trafficking organizations operating on the Mescalero Apache Reservation.
Defendant: Glen Joel Lester
Criminal Charges: Two counts of methamphetamine distribution
City and State: Las Cruces, New Mexico
Exact Date: March 11, 2016
Sentence or Outcome: 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release
Dollar Amounts: $500 and $1,500
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News