U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez | U.S. Department of Justice
An Española man, Mario James Valdez, has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison after law enforcement uncovered illegal firearms, narcotics, and unstable explosives. The sentencing follows a series of incidents involving Valdez that began with a traffic stop on August 1, 2023.
According to court records, officers from the Pojoaque Police Department stopped Valdez's vehicle due to expired registration. Inside the car, they found two loaded "ghost guns," one with a non-functioning machinegun conversion device, a stolen handgun, fentanyl, ammunition, a police scanner, 377 blue pills marked M30, and 42 grams of crack cocaine. Valdez was released after serving one day in custody.
Valdez was arrested again on September 15, 2023, for shoplifting and an outstanding state warrant. During this arrest, officers discovered fentanyl, Xanax, crack cocaine, and ammunition on him. Recorded jail calls between October 15 and 18 revealed discussions about additional firearms and dynamite stored at a house in Española.
On October 20, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence. In Valdez's bedroom were six sticks of deteriorating dynamite, a shotgun, and an AR-style rifle. Other rifles mentioned in the jail calls were found in another room. Due to the hazardous condition of the dynamite, it was destroyed for public safety.
Valdez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base; possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition; and being a felon in possession of explosive material. After his release from prison, he will face three years of supervised release.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell from the FBI's Albuquerque Field Office. The investigation involved multiple agencies including the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, Pojoaque Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and Española Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Hirsch is prosecuting the case.
