An inter-agency narcotics task force arrested an alleged El Llano drug dealer, in addition to the Mexican man they believe was supplying him.
A six-month investigation into Fred Archuleta and his suppliers culminated in his arrest Oct. 16 after Region 3 narcotics task force agents and a tactical team executed a search warrant on his West Calle Celestino home. Agents found baggies containing a total of 6.7 grams of crack cocaine and 2.2 grams of powder cocaine behind a couch and behind wood paneling, documents state. Also behind the couch was a sawed-off shotgun. They found a safe containing many prescription pills in unmarked bottles in a bedroom.
Lt. Juan Martinez declined to say whether undercover buys or confidential informants were involved in the lengthy investigation, but said the task force did surveil the house during the investigation.
The task force used a State Police tactical team for backup when executing the warrant because it was considered a high-risk case, documents state. Archuleta had a steel gate to his home, steel bars on his doors and was using cameras to monitor his property, Martinez said. Nevertheless, agents encountered no resistance when arresting Archuleta, Martinez said.
About an hour later, around 9:30 p.m. Oct. 16, agents executed a warrant on Archuleta’s alleged supplier at his Prince Drive home and simultaneously did a “knock and talk” at the Prince Drive home of a man suspected to be associated with them, then searched the home with consent. Alejandro Rodriguez-Estrada, suspected of supplying Archuleta, opened the door home to agents, then closed it immediately, documents state. Agents entered and handcuffed Rodriguez-Estrada, and proceeded to find 60 grams of cocaine (with a street value of $6,000) on a counter and in a drawer, a digital scale on a counter, and $5,636 cash throughout the residence.
Agents also searched a Dodge Pickup and found a stolen 9mm Beretta handgun — one of 37 stolen from Akal Security’s Española office in December 2008. It’s the fourth of those weapons to be recovered so far.
Agents then searched the home of Antonio Rodriguez-Huerta with his permission but found no drugs. They did find a Colt .357 Magnum that had bee reported stolen out of Albuquerque, documents state.
All three men were arrested and booked at the Rio Arriba County Jail. Archuleta, 40, was charged with trafficking crack cocaine and trafficking cocaine and bonded out Oct. 23 after posting $5,000, or 10 percent of a $50,000 bond, documents state. The prescription drugs were sent to a lab for identification, and Archuleta could still be charged in connection with them, Martinez said. Archuleta could not be reached for comment.
Rodriguez-Estrada, 22, a Mexican citizen originally from Delicias, was charged with trafficking cocaine and receiving stolen property, and bonded out Oct. 23 after posting $2,000 or 10 percent of $20,000. However, he was arrested Monday on federal charges of possessing a firearm in interstate commerce while being an alien illegally in the United States, according to federal court documents. Rodriguez-Estrada told agents he bought the stolen Beretta from an unknown man at Lowe’s Super Save in Española for $150. Immigration Enforcement Agents determined he was in the country illegally and put a detainer on him, according to federal court documents.
Rodriguez-Huerta, 44, a Mexican citizen originally from Juarez, was charged with receiving stolen property. He was held until Oct. 22, when the charge was dismissed and he was released. Assistant District Attorney Kathryn Thwaits, who signed the dismissal form, didn’t have any information about why the charge was dismissed.
However, Rodriguez-Huerta was arrested Monday on federal charges of possessing a firearm in interstate commerce while being an alien illegally in the United States, according to court documents. He told agents the stolen gun had been given to him by his father-in-law before he died six years ago.
Martinez said Rodriguez-Huerta was targeted because of suspicion he was involved with Rodriguez-Estrada. At this point, agents don’t know whether either man has ties to a Mexican trafficking cartel, Martinez said.
Archuleta’s property was the scene of a shooting Feb. 6, 2007, when Marcelino Herrera, 26, allegedly shot his brother Marcio, a friend of Archuleta’s, in the leg. Charges against Marcelino Herrera were eventually dismissed.
At the time, neighbors complained they suspected illegal activity in Archuleta’s house because of the amount of cars going in and out of the property.