Career Offender Sentenced to Fifteen and a Half Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking Conviction

Defendant Prosecuted Under Federal "Worst of the Worst" Anti-Violence Initiative

ALBUQUERQUE – Jonathan Madrid, 28, of Roswell, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., for his methamphetamine trafficking conviction.  Madrid was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison to be followed by four years of supervised release.

Madrid was arrested on June 25, 2013, based on a criminal complaint charging him with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.  On April 4, 2014, Madrid pled guilty to an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Chaves County, N.M., on June 6, 2013.

Court filings reflect that Madrid was charged based on evidence developed by an ATF investigation.  As part of that investigation, ATF executed a federal search warrant and searched the vehicle that Madrid was driving on June 6, 2013.  As a result, agents seized multiple small baggies of methamphetamine, a digital scale and $168.00 from Madrid’s pocket.  ATF also seized a firearm from the trunk of the vehicle and ammunition from the cab of the vehicle.  According to court filings, Madrid had previously been convicted of possession of cocaine and tampering with evidence, trafficking in a controlled substance, aggravated sexual assault of a child and felon in possession of a firearm.

U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez said that Madrid was being prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution.  Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.

This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office prosecuted the case.