Stephen Eugene Raeuber, 37, of Park Hills, Mo., admitted in federal court today to trafficking over a pound and a half of crystal methamphetamine across New Mexico highways, sealing his fate with a guilty plea in Las Cruces.
Raeuber was caught in August 2016 when U.S. Border Patrol agents at the Alamogordo checkpoint on Highway 54 flagged down the vehicle he was driving. During a routine inspection, agents discovered a locked safe stashed with meth and drug paraphernalia. Inside: 1.6 pounds of high-purity crystal meth, ready for distribution.
Under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Raeuber pled guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He admitted he knowingly transported the drugs through the checkpoint and planned to deliver them to buyers in exchange for cash—fueling the deadly drug trade sweeping through the Southwest.
On the stand, Raeuber admitted he knew exactly what was in the safe. He didn’t flinch when asked if he intended to sell it. His answer: yes. The drugs were not for personal use. They were product—meant to move fast, burn hard, and line his pockets.
Now, he’s staring down a decade behind bars. At sentencing, Raeuber faces a mandatory minimum of ten years and up to life in federal prison. He remains locked up pending a hearing date, which has not yet been set by the court.
The case was built by investigators from the DEA’s Las Cruces office and the U.S. Border Patrol, agencies on the front lines of the border drug war. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clara Nevarez Cobos is prosecuting, adding another conviction to the federal crackdown on interstate narcotics trafficking.
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Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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