Arizona man pleads guilty to cocaine trafficking charge in NM

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – A Tucson, Arizona, man pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to cocaine trafficking charges that stemmed from the seizure of nearly 72.1 kilograms (158.95 lbs.) of cocaine at a New Mexico port of entry.

Special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.

Jesus Quiroz, 36, was arrested Sept. 9 on a criminal complaint charging him with possessing more than 72 kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute in Hidalgo County, New Mexico. According to the complaint, Quiroz was arrested after law enforcement officers at the New Mexico port of entry on Interstate 10 in Lordsburg seized 61 individually wrapped packages containing more than 72 kilograms of cocaine from a tractor and trailer in which Quiroz was traveling.  At the time of his arrest, Quiroz was on probation for a state cocaine trafficking conviction in Arizona.

Quiroz subsequently was indicted Dec. 14 and charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  According to the indictment, Quiroz committed the crimes Sept. 9 in Hidalgo County.

During Wednesday’s proceedings, Quiroz pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty plea, Quiroz admitted that on Sept. 9 he drove a commercial vehicle containing 72.1 kilograms of cocaine into the Lordsburg, New Mexico, Port of Entry.  Quiroz further admitted that he intended to deliver the cocaine to another person.

At sentencing, he faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, and a maximum of life in federal prison.  He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing that has not been scheduled.

The New Mexico State Police assisted with the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brock Taylor of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case.