ALBUQUERQUE – In a stunning reversal of fortune, Sara Marie Martinez, 36, of Raton, N.M., was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison for her role in a heroin and methamphetamine trafficking ring. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez and DEA Special Agent in Charge Will R. Glaspy.
Martinez’s downfall began on March 8, 2016, when she and co-defendant Ernest Cordova, 45, were indicted for their part in a drug trafficking conspiracy. The charges stemmed from crimes committed in Bernalillo County, N.M., where Martinez and Cordova allegedly possessed heroin and methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
Cordova, who boasts six prior felony convictions, was arrested in February 2016 on charges of trafficking heroin and methamphetamine. DEA agents had observed him engaged in numerous drug deals in the Albuquerque area during this time frame. During a search warrant at Cordova’s residence, authorities discovered 134 grams of heroin and 82 grams of methamphetamine.
Martinez entered a guilty plea to the trafficking charges on August 9, 2016, without benefit of a plea agreement. Cordova followed suit with his own guilty plea on March 14, 2016. He was sentenced in August 2016 to 96 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release.
This case was part of a federal anti-violence initiative aimed at “the worst of the worst” offenders. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander M. Uballez prosecuted it under this initiative, targeting violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution and removal from New Mexico communities.
The case also fell under the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative, launched in 2015 to combat the national opioid epidemic. The HOPE Initiative focuses on prevention, treatment, law enforcement, reentry, and strategic planning to address the drug crisis in New Mexico.
Related Federal Cases
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- Floyd Sherrell Gets 57 Months for Meth, Gun Trafficking · New Mexico
- Bernadette Tapia Gets 21 Months for Meth Trafficking · New Mexico
- Albuquerque Smoke Shop Owner Gets 30-Month Sentence for Spice Trafficking · New Mexico
- Farmington Meth Dealer Brandon Smith Gets 5 Years · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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