San Juan County Trio Admits Meth Trafficking Role

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Three residents of San Juan County, New Mexico, are facing federal prison time after admitting their roles in a methamphetamine trafficking ring that stretched across the northwestern part of the state. Casey Lamotte, 30, of Flora Vista, Curtis Murray, 51, of Farmington, and Robert Valdez, 51, of Bloomfield, all entered guilty pleas today in Albuquerque federal court.

The guilty pleas are the latest fallout from “Operation Brown Ice,” a year-long investigation launched in February 2014 targeting a large-scale methamphetamine distribution network led by Isaac Anaya. The operation, a coordinated effort under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, initially focused on Anaya’s organization, which allegedly flooded San Juan County with the drug, before expanding to encompass wider drug trafficking activity. Twenty-nine individuals were initially charged.

Law enforcement descended on San Juan County on February 26, 2014, arresting 26 defendants in a massive operation led by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) and the HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force. Two more arrests followed during the investigation, and the final defendant was apprehended on March 3, 2014. The searches weren’t limited to homes; officers executed eleven federal search warrants at residences and businesses in Bloomfield and Farmington, along with a storage unit. They also executed three state search warrants. The haul included approximately five pounds of methamphetamine and five firearms, including a fully automatic Glock 19, a short-barreled rifle, and a carbine with an obliterated serial number, along with explosives.

Lamotte and Murray both admitted to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and working as distributors for Isaac Anaya between May 28, 2013, and September 25, 2013. Lamotte went further, confessing to acting as a courier, making trips to Arizona to procure methamphetamine and transport it back to Farmington for Anaya to distribute. Valdez, pleading guilty to a separate count, admitted to using a telephone to facilitate a drug deal in August 2013, arranging a methamphetamine purchase with co-defendant Richard Archuleta, 33, of Bloomfield, to supply both himself and Yvonne Anaya, 39, also of Bloomfield.

Archuleta previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and a phone count on September 12, 2014. Yvonne Anaya maintains a not guilty plea. To date, ten of the thirteen federal defendants, including ringleader Isaac Anaya, have entered guilty pleas and are awaiting sentencing. The remaining three federal defendants have pleaded not guilty and are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This case highlights the relentless flow of methamphetamine into New Mexico and the ongoing efforts to dismantle the organizations responsible.

The investigation remains active as authorities continue to pursue remaining leads and potential co-conspirators. Federal prosecutors are expected to announce sentencing dates for the ten defendants who have already pleaded guilty in the coming weeks. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates as they become available. This investigation serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by drug trafficking and the commitment of law enforcement to combatting this pervasive issue in San Juan County and beyond.”