LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Brenda Riveroll, 36, of El Paso, Texas, has copped a plea in federal court, admitting she knowingly peddled the tools for illicit drug use at her Sunland Park smoke shop. Riveroll, the owner and sole operator of “The Smoke Shop,” pled guilty today to charges stemming from a 2017 indictment, but isn’t likely to see significant jail time.
The feds initially hit Riveroll with the indictment in April of 2017, alleging she was selling drug paraphernalia on May 3, 2016, and again offering it up for sale just days later on May 12, 2016. The alleged activity took place in Dona Ana County, New Mexico, turning a seemingly innocuous storefront into a hub for enabling drug use.
According to court documents, Riveroll confessed to selling two pipes – specifically designed for marijuana use – to undercover law enforcement officers on May 3, 2016. But it wasn’t just a one-time deal. Riveroll admitted to maintaining a substantial stock of paraphernalia at “The Smoke Shop,” catering directly to the needs of those looking to get high.
A search warrant executed on May 12, 2016, turned up a staggering haul: 1,409 assorted smoking instruments, including bongs, glass pipes, and metal pipes. Eighty marijuana grinders and five scales for weighing controlled substances were also seized. Riveroll acknowledged she knew full well her merchandise was destined for illegal activity, effectively profiting from the drug trade.
The plea agreement recommends a five-year term of probation for Riveroll, a relatively light sentence considering the volume of paraphernalia involved. While she avoided a lengthy prison stay, the conviction will undoubtedly leave a mark. The investigation was spearheaded by the Las Cruces office of the DEA, highlighting the agency’s continued focus on disrupting the supply chain of drug-related tools.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brock E. Taylor, from the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office, is prosecuting the case. This case serves as a reminder that those who profit from facilitating illegal drug use will be held accountable, even if the punishment doesn’t always seem commensurate with the scale of the operation. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as sentencing approaches.
Related Federal Cases
- Feds Crush $220K in Drug Paraphernalia from Smoke Shop Ring · Colorado
- Sunland Park Heroin Kingpin Admits Guilt · New Mexico
- Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin Trafficking · New Mexico
- Amber Kay Otero Pleads Guilty to Oxycodone Theft in Carlsbad · New Mexico
- El Paso Men Plead Guilty to Cocaine Trafficking in New Mexico · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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