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A federal judge sentenced a Las Cruces man to 10 years in federal prison for possession of large quantities of fentanyl, firearms and cash linked to drug trafficking activities.
Joe Angel Sandoval, 29, will not be eligible for parole as that is not an option in the federal system, according to a news release.
FBI agents and task force officers from Metro Narcotics executed a federal search warrant in April 2024 at Sandoval’s Las Cruces residence and uncovered substantial evidence of drug trafficking, the news release states.
Investigators found over 500 grams of fentanyl pills, three firearms and ammunition and $139,857 in cash inside the home and approximately $1,900 in Sandoval’s vehicle, according to the news release.
Sandoval accepted a plea agreement with Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo, who prosecuted the case. In his plea agreement, Sandoval admitted to being an unlawful user of fentanyl at the time of the search warrant, according to the news release. He also acknowledged that he sold fentanyl pills for three to four years, the news release states.
That makes Sandoval a prohibited possessor of firearms and ammunition under federal law, according to the news release.
After his release from federal prison, Sandoval will be subject to 10 years of supervised release.
