Las Cruces Man Gets 140 Months for Meth Trafficking

Joshua Nestle, 26, of Las Cruces, N.M., is headed to federal prison for 140 months after being sentenced on methamphetamine trafficking charges. The sentence, handed down yesterday in Albuquerque federal court, marks the end of a long-fought case that began with a routine traffic stop and ended in a high-stakes conviction tied to drug distribution and firearms.

Nestle and co-defendant Joclyn Telles, 35, also of Las Cruces, were arrested in February 2017 on a criminal complaint charging them with conspiracy and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. The complaint further charged Nestle with being a felon in possession of a firearm and using a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime—charges that carried steep penalties under federal law.

The crimes trace back to June 29, 2016, in Dona Ana County, where law enforcement pulled over the pair on outstanding warrants. During a search incident to arrest, officers found approximately 2.6 ounces of methamphetamine and a loaded firearm inside the vehicle. The discovery set off a chain of federal charges that would eventually land both defendants behind bars.

On June 7, 2017, Nestle entered a guilty plea to a felony information, admitting he conspired to violate federal drug laws on June 29, 2016. He acknowledged possessing the 2.6 ounces of meth found in the car and confirmed his intent to distribute it. He also admitted to possessing a controlled substance while incarcerated at the Dona Ana County Detention Center on March 9, 2017—a violation that compounded his criminal exposure.

Joclyn Telles was indicted on June 21, 2017, on identical conspiracy and possession charges. She pleaded guilty on July 18, 2017, without a plea deal, leaving her fate in the hands of the court. At sentencing, she faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in federal prison. Telles remains in custody as she awaits a sentencing date that has not yet been set.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Las Cruces office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Saltman of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office. Nestle will serve his 140-month sentence followed by four years of supervised release.

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