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A Las Cruces man was sentenced on Tuesday to 12 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Jaime Lopez, 35, pled guilty to the charges filed against him by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI Albuquerque field office, according to a news release.
According to court records, on May 21, 2024, law enforcement attempted to stop Lopez, who had an arrest warrant for failure to appear but he fled at a high rate of speed. Lopez evaded law enforcement initially but three hours later, officers located the vehicle Lopez had been driving and approached Lopez, who was on foot and with two other individuals, according to court records.
Lopez discarded a package later found to contain about 690 fentanyl pills, according to the release. Officers pursued and arrested Lopez.
Officers recovered a stolen handgun from a backpack inside the vehicle, according to the release. Lopez allegedly told authorities he fled because of the outstanding warrant. Lopez allegedly told authorities he carried a firearm for protection because of fear of retaliation from former associates in Mexico.
Lopez has a 2005 conviction for second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit second-degree murder and was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Lopez pled guilty to both counts.
When he is released from prison, Lopez will be subject to five years of supervised release.
