Miguel Rangel Arce, 36, a Mexican national unlawfully in the United States, was sentenced in federal court this week in Albuquerque, N.M., to 120 months in prison for his methamphetamine trafficking conviction. Miguel Rangel Arce will be deported after he completes his prison sentence
Miguel Rangel Arce and his co-defendants Luis Rangel Arce, 45, and Rogelio Santiago Quiroa-Valdez also Mexican nationals, were amongst eight San Juan County residents charged with federal narcotics trafficking offenses as the result of a multi-agency investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force into methamphetamine trafficking on the Navajo Indian Reservation in northwestern New Mexico. The three men were arrested in May 2016 during a law enforcement operation that included the execution of two search warrants at residences in Shiprock and Kirtland, N.M.
The investigation leading to the federal charges was initiated in response to an increase in methamphetamine trafficking on the Navajo Indian Reservation in the Shiprock area, and was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. This Department of Justice program combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. investigation identified eight defendants, who were charged in five indictments, through a series of methamphetamine purchases by undercover law enforcement officers. Law enforcement authorities seized more than two and a half pounds of methamphetamine, ten firearms, approximately $1,600 in cash, and a vehicle during the investigation.
Miguel Rangel Arce, Luis Rangel Arce and Quiroa-Valdez were charged with methamphetamine trafficking charges in a seven-count indictment filed in April 2016. The indictment charged the three men with participating in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy between Nov. 2015 and March 2016, and with distributing methamphetamine on six occasions between Jan. 2016 and March 2016. According to the indictment, the defendants committed the crimes in San Juan County, N.M.
On Aug. 30, 2016, Miguel Rangel Arce pled guilty to participating in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, and admitted that from Nov. 24, 2015 through March 17, 2016, he conspired to distribute between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine to an undercover officer.
Luis Rangel Arce pled guilty on Aug. 16, 2016, to distributing methamphetamine on Jan. 11 and 14, 2016. In entering the guilty plea, Luis Rangel Arce admitted distributing 63.17 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover officer on Jan. 11, 2016, and distributing 55.3 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover officer on Jan. 14, 2016. Luis Rangel Arce was sentenced on Jan. 5, 2017, to 87 months in prison and will be deported following his prison sentence.
Quiroa-Valdez pled guilty on Aug. 30, 2016, and admitted that on Feb. 24, 2016, he distributed 85.5 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover officer. At sentencing Quiroa-Valdez faces a statutory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. Quiroa-Valdez remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which is currently scheduled for March 9, 2017. He too will be deported after completing his prison sentence.