Las Cruces Gang Operation Produces Federal and State Charges, Seizes Firearms and Narcotics

Albuquerque, New Mexico — August 7, 2026 — A months-long operation targeting violent gang activity in the Las Cruces area has resulted in federal charges against six defendants, additional state prosecutions, the seizure of firearms and narcotics, and the investigative clearance of 11 drive-by shootings.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, FBI Albuquerque Field Office Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris and Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story announced the results of the coordinated operation on Friday.

The Las Cruces Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit led the effort in partnership with the Las Cruces/Doña Ana Metro Narcotics Agency, FBI, Safe Streets Task Force and Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office.

Federal, state and local officers executed approximately 58 legal processes during the operation. Those actions included search warrants, arrest warrants and court orders supported by more than 800 pages of legal documentation.

Authorities seized 19 firearms, three machine-gun conversion devices, two sets of body armor, approximately 265 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 200 grams of fentanyl.

Machine-gun conversion devices can be installed on compatible semiautomatic firearms to enable automatic fire. The announcement did not disclose what types of conversion devices were recovered, whether they had been installed on any of the seized firearms or whether laboratory testing had been completed.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico charged six defendants with federal offenses as part of Summer Heat, an FBI initiative focused on violent offenses during the summer months.

The federal charges filed across the six cases include possession of a firearm in a school zone, discharging a firearm in a school zone, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, receiving a firearm while under indictment, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of body armor by a violent felon.

The federal cases also include charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

The announced charges are divided among the six defendants. The U.S. Attorney’s Office did not state that every defendant is charged with every listed offense.

Authorities have not identified the school zone connected to the firearm allegations or disclosed whether the firearm was discharged on school property, near a school or under other circumstances covered by federal law.

The announcement also does not identify which seized firearms had obliterated serial numbers, which defendants allegedly possessed the machine-gun conversion devices or whether those devices are connected to any of the 11 drive-by shootings.

Additional defendants face charges in state court. The state offenses include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, multiple counts of shooting at or from a motor vehicle, multiple counts of unlawful possession of a handgun by a person younger than 19 and possession of cocaine.

The federal and state charges address separate forms of alleged conduct uncovered during the operation. Firearm-possession cases focus on whether a defendant was legally prohibited from possessing a weapon or possessed it under restricted circumstances. Narcotics cases concern the alleged possession of controlled substances for distribution. The assault, battery and vehicle-shooting cases concern acts of violence prosecuted through the state court system.

Information developed by participating agencies allowed investigators to clear 11 drive-by shootings reported in the Las Cruces area.

Authorities did not disclose the dates or locations of the 11 shootings, identify the individuals connected to them or state whether anyone was injured. The announcement also does not specify how many of the shootings resulted in federal charges and how many are being handled by state prosecutors.

The identities of the federal and state defendants remain withheld because the operation is continuing and authorities anticipate additional enforcement actions.

Withholding the names also limits the information available about the individual charges, arrest status and court proceedings. Federal officials have not released the case numbers, initial-appearance dates or detention decisions associated with the six federal defendants.

Summer Heat is a nationwide FBI initiative that concentrates federal resources on violent offenders, fugitives and gang activity during the summer. The program relies on federal, state and local agencies to coordinate intelligence, execute warrants and pursue cases through the court system with jurisdiction over the alleged conduct.

The Las Cruces operation combined local knowledge from police and county authorities with federal investigative resources and task-force coordination.

The 58 legal processes demonstrate the scope of the operation and the amount of judicial authorization required to conduct searches, make arrests and obtain information. Search warrants and court orders require investigators to present supporting facts and obtain authorization before carrying out the approved action.

The seizure totals do not establish that every recovered item is connected to every defendant or every cleared shooting. Prosecutors must prove the relationship between individual defendants, seized evidence and charged offenses in the appropriate federal or state court.

The presence of methamphetamine and fentanyl allegations alongside firearm and drive-by-shooting charges reflects the operation’s combined focus on narcotics distribution and violent gang activity. Authorities have not released information concerning the suspected source, destination, purity or estimated value of the seized drugs.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office also has not identified the gangs targeted during the operation, described their membership or disclosed whether the defendants are accused of belonging to the same organization.

The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities anticipate additional enforcement actions.

All federal and state charges remain allegations. The unnamed defendants are presumed innocent unless and until prosecutors prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

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