New Mexico man pleads guilty to federal drug trafficking, firearms charges

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — A resident of Las Cruces, New Mexico, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal drug trafficking and firearms charges stemming from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents.

According to the terms of his plea agreement, Armando Conrad Gonzales, 33, will be sentenced to 100 months in federal prison and a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. Gonzales was charged in July along with two co-defendants. Charles Douglas Notbohm Jr., 50, of Tucson, Arizona, was arrested Feb. 21 in Lordsburg, New Mexico, after officers executed a search warrant on the vehicle in which he was traveling and found more than 116 grams (four ounces) of methamphetamine.

On May 21, Notbohm and James Richard Reeves, 46, also from Tucson, were indicted and charged with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.  On July 16, Notbohm, Reeves and Gonzales were charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.  The superseding indictment also charged Gonzales with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On Tuesday, Gonzales pleaded guilty to methamphetamine distribution conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a firearm. In entering his guilty plea, Gonzales admitted making an agreement with Reeves to buy methamphetamine from Reeves which Reeves and Notbohm were to transport from Tucson to Las Cruces. Gonzales admitted that on April 11, 2014, he possessed a firearm and ammunition even though he was prohibited from doing so based on his status as a convicted felon.  

On Sept. 18, Reeves pleaded guilty to two methamphetamine-trafficking charges in the superseding indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement. He faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. Notbohm pleaded guilty Oct. 7 to a felony information charging him with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.  In entering his guilty plea, Notbohm admitted that on Feb. 21, 2014, he and Reeves were driving from Tucson to Las Cruces to deliver methamphetamine to Gonzales.  He further admitted that as the two men were driving through Lordsburg, they were stopped by a police officer who found methamphetamine in their vehicle. At sentencing, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years.

All three men have been in federal custody since their respective arrests.  They remain detained pending their respective sentencing hearings, which have yet to be scheduled.