Salvador Ortega, 36, Las Cruces, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 24 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for his methamphetamine trafficking conviction.
Salvador Ortega and co-defendants Guillermo Ortega, 43, and Steven Roman, 28, both of Las Cruces, were charged with methamphetamine trafficking offenses in a four-count indictment filed on June 18, 2014. The indictment charged Salvador Ortega and Guillermo Ortega with distributing methamphetamine on April 2, 2014; Guillermo Ortega and Roman with distributing methamphetamine on April 2, 2014; and Guillermo Ortega with distributing methamphetamine on April 2, 2014. It also charged Guillermo Ortega with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition on April 14, 2014. The indictment alleged that the three men committed these crimes in Doña Ana County, N.M.
On Jan. 21, 2016, Salvador Ortega entered a guilty plea to Count 1 of the indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement.
Roman pled guilty to Count 2 of the indictment on Sept. 23, 2015, and admitted that on April 2, 2014, he distributed 57 grams of methamphetamine to a person working with law enforcement. Roman admitted that on that day, he was contacted by an individual who wanted to purchase methamphetamine, and he in turn contacted Guillermo Ortega and arranged the deal. Roman was sentenced on May 9, 2016, to 77 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release.
Guillermo Ortega pled guilty on Sept. 3, 2015, and admitted that on April 2, 2014, he and his co-defendants distributed 95 grams of methamphetamine to a person working with law enforcement. Guillermo further admitted that on April 14, 2014, he was prohibited from being in possession of firearms or ammunition because of his previous felony conviction of felony theft. At sentencing Guillermo Ortega faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Information from Department of Justice