Members of Taos County drug ring plead guilty
A slew of defendants charged in connection with a Taos-based heroin trafficking and money laundering ring have pled guilty to charges.
Ivan Romero, 40, Ricco Romero, 29, Melissa Romero, 37, and five others have been identified as the defendants, according to a report from Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Martinez.
Ivan Romero has been identified as the leader of the enterprise, which is believed to have been in operation from June 2012 to December 2015.
The defendants were originally charged in an eight-count indictment. According to the report, the indictment was later modified to add a ninth defendant and five additional charges in February 2016.
All nine defendants have been charged with conspiring to distribute. In addition, Ivan Romero, Ricco Romero, Melissa Romero and one other defendant were charged with conspiring to launder heroin trafficking proceeds.
The indictment also included "substantive heroin trafficking and firearms charges against specific defendants," the report states. "As well as forfeiture provisions seeking forfeiture to the United States of any and all assets and property derived, either directly or indirectly, from proceeds obtained from the criminal activities charged."
The guilty pleas were entered during hearings which took place earlier this month.
More details
According to court filings, Ivan Romero led an operation based in Taos County. He and his brother Ricco Romero allegedly purchased large quantities of heroin from suppliers based in Albuquerque and Los Lunas.
Other members of the organization acted as "runners," transporting processed and packaged heroin to the Taos County-based drug ring, where it was then mixed or "cut" with other substances before being distributed locally or to other drug networks in the area.
A state search warrant executed April 2, 2015, allowed state police to investigate Ivan Romero's residence, where they allegedly discovered 300 grams of heroin, 30 grams of hashish, 461 grams of marijuana and $64,920 cash. After Ivan Romero was arrested on state charges the day of the search, Ricco Romero began to play a more pivotal "managerial role" to keep the operation in action, according to the report.
Ivan Romero's bond was set at $90,000 at the time. He, along with Ricco Romero, Melissa Romero and others, allegedly conspired to launder large sums of their heroin proceeds to post bond and secure release. Though they were successful, Ivan Romero soon violated the terms of release and was again taken into custody – his bond raised to $150,000. In May 2015, they again conspired to launder money to post bail.
Near the end of 2015, on Nov. 17 and Dec. 1, Ricco Romero allegedly distributed heroin to an "individual working with law enforcement agents." On Dec. 18, law enforcement was able to obtain and execute a second search warrant at Ricco Romero's residence and a "stash house" where the suspect maintained a safe.
During the searches, agents seized 96.8 grams of heroin, $70,562 in cash and two firearms.
Next steps
If the plea agreements are accepted, Ivan Romero will be sentenced to a prison term ranging from 120 to 144 months; Ricco Romero will be sentenced to 120 months in prison; and Melissa Romero will be sentenced to a term of probation.
"Pursuant to their plea agreements, Ivan Romero, Ricco Romero and Melissa Romero have agreed to forfeit $431,870 in heroin proceeds to the United States," the report states.
Officials say the indictment is a major advancement in the ongoing and well-documented struggle by law enforcement to combat drug trafficking and many drug-related deaths that occur each year in Taos and elsewhere in New Mexico.
The investigation has been conducted by the Albuquerque office of the DEA, the HIDTA Region III Drug Task Force, New Mexico State Police, Taos Police Department, Taos County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy S. Vasquez is prosecuting the case as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative, which was launched in January 2015.
