Juan Merino-Guerrero Gets 40 Months for Meth, Gun Charges

Albuquerque, N.M. — Juan Merino-Guerrero, 29, a Mexican national living in Santa Fe, is headed to federal prison for 40 months after pleading guilty to methamphetamine trafficking and illegal firearm possession. The sentence, handed down today in U.S. District Court, marks the end of a year-long federal case rooted in a traffic stop that turned up nearly a quarter-kilo of crystal meth.

On April 30, 2015, Santa Fe Police Department (SFPD) officers executed a search warrant on Merino-Guerrero’s vehicle, seizing 226.5 grams of methamphetamine. The bust triggered a federal investigation, leading to his arrest on June 10, 2015, on a criminal complaint. By June 24, he was formally indicted on two counts: possession of meth with intent to distribute and being an undocumented alien in unlawful possession of a firearm.

Merino-Guerrero admitted in court on September 30, 2015, that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine found in his car. He also confessed to possessing a firearm despite being in the United States on non-immigrant status — a federal offense that carries stiff penalties under U.S. law.

The case was jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) out of El Paso and the Santa Fe Police Department. Authorities say the cooperation between local and federal law enforcement was critical in building a case that led to swift prosecution. HSI’s Albuquerque office took the lead in tracking Merino-Guerrero’s movements and confirming his immigration status.

U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez announced the sentencing, emphasizing that drug traffickers with access to weapons pose a clear threat to public safety. “This sentence sends a message,” Martinez said. “We’re targeting not just the drugs, but the guns that fuel violence in our communities.”

After completing his 40-month sentence, Merino-Guerrero will be turned over to immigration authorities for deportation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec prosecuted the case, calling it a textbook example of how cross-agency collaboration shuts down illicit drug operations before they escalate. Merino-Guerrero will serve his time in the federal prison system with no eligibility for early release.