Oct 29, 2024
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Multiple law enforcement agencies in the Albuquerque area worked together to arrest four men accused of "flooding Albuquerque’s streets with illegal drugs," according to the Albuquerque Police Department. APD narcotics detectives worked with the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office to arrest the suspects following raids that resulted in the seizure of 715,000 fentanyl pills, seven kilograms of cocaine, and 12 guns, two of which appeared to be stolen, APD said. Charges dropped against former NMSP officer accused of sexual assault Those suspects include Tomas Rubalcaba, 45 and Joaquin Rubalcaba, 40, who the DEA said led the Rubalcaba Drug Trafficking Organization(DTO), and Humberto Gastelum, 65, and Frederick Chavey, 38. APD said each individual allegedly sold drugs to an undercover agent multiple times in 2024. According to the Department of Justice, Tomas Rubalcaba coordinated drug sales through his business, Albuquerque Classics. Tomas Rubalcaba, Joaquin Rubalcada, and Gastelum appeared before a federal judge last week and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. The federal judge permitted Chavey to remain in the third-party custody of his sister pending trial. A fifth suspect, Ismael Vargas, 37, has yet to be arrested, according to the Department of Justice. In addition to serving search warrants related to the indicted members of the Rubalcaba DTO, law enforcement also searched the homes of uncharged DTO members. During these operations, authorities discovered over 5 kilograms of suspected cocaine at the residence of Luke Scarpetta, 35, and more than 600 grams of suspected fentanyl at the home of Richard Garcia, 44. As a result of these searches, both Scarpetta and Garcia were charged with A-level narcotics offenses.  A federal judge ordered Garcia to remain in custody pending trial, while Scarpetta was permitted to reside at a halfway house. If convicted, all of the defendants face a minimum of ten years of imprisonment. The defendants could receive a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, according to the DOJ.
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