An El Rito woman was arraigned in district court on charges of trafficking first offense and conspiracy to commit trafficking for a case where officers allegedly found drugs, cash and a gun after responding to a report of two people passed out in a truck.
Felicia Lopez, 31, of El Rito, pleaded not guilty on Feb. 24 to charges of trafficking a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit trafficking.
Her co-defendant in the case, Alexander Lucero, 28, pleaded guilty, in a global plea deal across three cases to two charges — possession of a controlled substance: fentanyl and possession of a controlled substance: cocaine on Feb. 21. That plea deal included the case with Lopez and two other cases.
Lopez was initially charged by Española City Police officers on Nov. 19 with distribution of a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit distribution of a controlled substance. She then waived a right to a preliminary hearing or grand jury indictment. Lucero was additionally charged in the magistrate case with one count of possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon, in addition to the possession and conspiracy charges.
Rio Arriba Magistrate Judge Alexandra Naranjo released Lopez on Nov. 20 on her own recognizance and, following her arraignment, she remains released on her own recognizance.
A 2024 drug case
Española Police Officer Anthony Martinez wrote in a criminal complaint for Lopez’s arrest that he was called out to South Paseo de Oñate to help Santa Clara police officers dealing with a couple who were called in as passed out and contraband could been seen in their vehicle.
Among the things in the truck were a handgun, a bag of white powder and a scale. Lopez allegedly repeatedly denied that anyone owned the gun and the bag of drugs, Martinez wrote.
After searching the truck, officers found a .25-caliber pistol with a round in the chamber, the plastic bag of drugs weighing 13.5 grams and $229 in cash.
Lucero’s plea deal gave him a three-year suspended sentence.
The other cases rolled into Lucero’s plea deal were: One in 2023 for trafficking a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance and a 2024 case where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance, tampering with evidence and bringing contraband into a jail.