NM woman pleads guilty to drug trafficking charges tied to meth, heroin seizure

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An Albuquerque woman pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to methamphetamine and heroin trafficking charges, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Jeanne J. Barron, 24, was arrested in July 2015 on a criminal complaint charging her with possession of methamphetamine and heroin with intent to distribute July 10, 2015, in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.

According to the complaint, law enforcement officers located a bag containing several individual packages containing 11.98 lbs. of methamphetamine and two packages containing 2.4 lbs. of heroin in Barron’s vehicle during a traffic stop.  Barron was subsequently indicted on the same charges July 30, 2015.

During Thursday’s proceedings, Barron pleaded guilty to a felony information charging her with possession of methamphetamine and heroin with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty plea, Barron admitted that on July 10, 2015, she was stopped by law enforcement officers while traveling from Phoenix, Arizona, to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Barron further admitted that the law enforcement officers found 10 packages containing 11.98 lbs. of methamphetamine and two packages containing 2.4 lbs. of heroin in the trunk of her vehicle during the traffic stop. 

At sentencing, Barron faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.  A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office participated in this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rumaldo R. Armijo, District of New Mexico, is prosecuting this case.