Crime journalist’s grimy scoop: Roswell, N.M.’s James H. Lewis, 51, has entered a guilty plea in federal court for methamphetamine trafficking. Lewis is one of 41 individuals charged after an eight-month FBI-led investigation targeting drug organizations in Chaves County.
The multi-agency operation, part of the OCDETF program, aimed to dismantle major DTOs like that of Joseph Ray Mendiola, who distributed meth in the region. Lewis and his co-defendants face serious federal charges following a sweeping raid that resulted in over 5600 grams of methamphetamine being seized.
Law enforcement executed 14 search warrants during which they also found $35,960.00 in cash and multiple firearms. Today’s proceeding saw Lewis admit to conspiring to distribute meth from June to July 2015, including the receipt of seven pounds of the drug on July 31, 2015.
Lewis, now awaiting sentencing that could see him locked up for 20 years, is the last of the 21 federal defendants to enter a guilty plea. His co-defendants have also taken their pleas and await sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the Roswell office of FBI’s Albuquerque Division, DEA, local police departments, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy M. Castellano and John Balla are handling the prosecution.
The HIDTA Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force includes investigators from various federal and local agencies, reflecting the coordinated effort to combat drug trafficking in critical areas as designated by Congress under the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988.
Related Federal Cases
- Roswell Woman Admits to Meth Trafficking · New Mexico
- Stewart Faces Life Behind Bars in Meth Trafficking Case · New Mexico
- San Juan County Trio Admits Meth Trafficking Role · New Mexico
- Georgia Man Charged with Meth Trafficking in NM After Massive Drug Seizure · New Mexico
- Raton Woman Gets 66-Month Sentence for Heroin & Meth Trafficking · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
