ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Five pounds of heroin. That’s what law enforcement found stashed in a vehicle barreling through Cibola County back in 2017, and now one of the women behind the shipment is facing serious time. Tabitha Marie Ochoa, 29, of Nogales, Arizona, admitted in federal court today she was hauling the deadly drug with intent to distribute.
Ochoa, along with co-defendant Maryhelen Princess Ochoa, 32, also from Nogales, Arizona, were pulled over on January 30 and 31, 2017, during a routine traffic stop. That routine quickly turned anything but when officers discovered nine bundles of heroin weighing a staggering 2387 grams – 5.26 pounds – hidden inside the vehicle. The bust was the result of collaborative work between Homeland Security Investigations and the New Mexico State Police.
Today, Tabitha Marie Ochoa threw in the towel, pleading guilty to possession of heroin with intent to distribute. She confessed to knowingly possessing the heroin and admitted she was being paid to deliver it to an unknown contact. While she’s admitted guilt, the full story of who she was working for, and where the heroin was headed, remains shrouded in mystery.
The consequences for Ochoa’s decision are steep. She now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. She’ll remain locked up pending her sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled. Meanwhile, Maryhelen Princess Ochoa remains in custody awaiting a grand jury presentation. Remember, an indictment is not proof of guilt; both women are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case isn’t being handled in isolation. It falls under the umbrella of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative, launched in 2015 in response to the opioid crisis that’s ravaged the state. The HOPE Initiative, a partnership between UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, is a five-pronged attack on the problem, encompassing prevention, treatment, law enforcement, reentry programs, and strategic planning.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Y. Ramirez is leading the prosecution, emphasizing the focus on dismantling major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations. New Mexico has been hit particularly hard by the opioid epidemic, and the HOPE Initiative is a desperate attempt to stem the tide. Those looking for more information on the initiative can visit http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org. But for Ochoa, the hope for a different future is dwindling with each passing day.
Related Federal Cases
- San Juan County Trio Admits Meth Trafficking Role · New Mexico
- 72-Year-Old Trafficker Rojas Admits to Heroin Run · New Mexico
- Albuquerque Woman Admits to Meth Trafficking · New Mexico
- Tabitha Marie Ochoa, Maryhelen Princess Ochoa Sentenced for Heroin Trafficking · New Mexico
- Arizona Man Convicted of Methamphetamine Trafficking · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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