Tabitha Marie Ochoa, Maryhelen Princess Ochoa Sentenced for Heroin Trafficking

ALBUQUERQUE – Two women have been handed substantial prison sentences for their roles in a major heroin trafficking operation. Tabitha Marie Ochoa, 30, from Merced, California, and Maryhelen Princess Ochoa, 32, a U.S. citizen residing in Sonora, Mexico, were sentenced to 36 months each following their guilty pleas on drug trafficking charges.

Their convictions stem from the seizure of five pounds of heroin during a routine traffic stop in Cibola County, New Mexico, on January 30-31, 2017. Both women admitted possessing approximately 2,387 grams (5.26 pounds) of heroin with intent to distribute, and that they were paid to deliver the illegal substance.

Tabitha Marie Ochoa entered her guilty plea on May 19, 2017, while Maryhelen Princess Ochoa followed suit on August 24, 2017. The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations in Albuquerque and the New Mexico State Police.

This case is a significant win for the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative, launched in January 2015 to combat the national opioid crisis. The initiative coordinates efforts among various agencies to reduce opioid-related deaths and protect communities from heroin and opioid painkillers’ dangers.

The HOPE Initiative comprises prevention and education, treatment, law enforcement, reentry, and strategic planning components. It targets major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution, with the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and DEA at the forefront. For more information on the New Mexico HOPE Initiative, visit www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.

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