Phillip Larry Gonzales, Heroin Trafficking, New Mexico 2016

An Albuquerque man has pleaded guilty to a federal heroin trafficking charge.

Phillip Larry Gonzales, 28, was arrested during an ATF-led investigation that resulted in the filing of 59 federal indictments and one federal criminal complaint charging 104 Bernalillo County residents with federal firearms and narcotics trafficking offenses. 

The investigation began in mid-April 2016, when ATF personnel from throughout the country joined forces with federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies in New Mexico to combat the high rate of violent crime in the Albuquerque metropolitan area.

Gonzales was arrested on Aug. 10, 2016, on an indictment charging him with distribution of heroin on July 27, 2016, in Bernalillo County, N.M.  The indictment included forfeiture provisions requiring Gonzales to forfeit $1,100 to the United States.

During today’s change of plea hearing, Gonzales pled guilty to the indictment.  In entering his guilty plea, Gonzales admitted that On July 27, 2016, he sold approximately 26.7 grams of heroin to an undercover law enforcement agent.

Under the terms of his plea agreement, Gonzales will be sentenced within the range of 36 to 48 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. Gonzales remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.

To date, 14 of the 104 defendants charged as a result of the ATF investigation have entered guilty pleas.  The remaining defendants have entered not guilty pleas.

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