El Paso man pleads guilty in NM to violating federal narcotics trafficking, firearms laws

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An El Paso, Texas, man pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to methamphetamine trafficking and firearms charges.

This case was investigated by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

According to the terms of his plea agreement, Carlos Davenport, 41, will be sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Davenport and his co-defendant, Luis Contreras, 20, of Albuquerque, were arrested Dec. 13, 2014, in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, after law enforcement officers executed a consensual search on the vehicle in which Davenport and Contreras were traveling. During the search, officers found 10 pounds of methamphetamine.

On Jan. 8, Davenport and Contreras were indicted on the following charges:  conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute Dec. 13, 2014, and using and carrying firearms in relation to a drug trafficking crime Dec. 13, 2014.  All offenses took place in Bernalillo County.

During Wednesday’s proceedings, Davenport pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distributing methamphetamine, and using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

In entering his guilty plea, Davenport admitted that Dec. 13, 2014, while traveling eastbound on Interstate 40, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle.  He further admitted giving the officer consent to search the vehicle and that the officer found 10 pounds of methamphetamine and two firearms during his search of the vehicle.  Davenport acknowledged that he and his co-defendant intended to distribute the methamphetamine to others, and that they had the firearms in the vehicle for protection related to the methamphetamine.

Davenport has been in federal custody since his arrest and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has not been scheduled.

Contreras has entered a not guilty plea to the indictment; his trial is set for Aug. 3.  Charges in complaints and indictments are merely accusations; defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department participated in this investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys James R.W. Braun and Joel R. Meyers, District of New Mexico, are prosecuting this case.