Five Charged in Federal Drug Trafficking Case in New Mexico

Five individuals have been federally charged with drug trafficking offenses in southern New Mexico, following a multiagency investigation into an operation allegedly coordinated from a Mexican prison. The U.S. Attorney's Office announced the charges on October 15, 2026, detailing the alleged distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl orchestrated by Felix Anthony Salazar III, an American citizen incarcerated in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

The investigation, which began in mid-2025, was led by the FBI, Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics, and Homeland Security Investigations. Salazar, 34, is accused of arranging multiple drug transactions from prison, involving several accomplices who executed the deals in New Mexico.

On September 5, 2025, Salazar allegedly organized a transaction in Anthony, New Mexico, where an undercover agent purchased approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine for $3,800. Yadira Lizett Cano, 28, allegedly drove to the location with a 16-year-old passenger who delivered the drugs. Laboratory tests confirmed the substance as 973 grams of pure methamphetamine.

A second transaction occurred on September 17, 2025, in Sunland Park, New Mexico, involving approximately half a kilogram of methamphetamine for $1,800. Moses Andrew Gonzales, 36, and Martha Janeth Grijalva Fierro, 36, both from El Paso, Texas, allegedly delivered the drugs. Laboratory testing confirmed the presence of 468 grams of pure methamphetamine.

The third transaction, arranged on October 24, 2025, in Las Cruces, involved methamphetamine and fentanyl pills. Suleima Eidali Miranda, 31, allegedly delivered 984 grams of methamphetamine and 251 grams of fentanyl to an undercover agent for $2,000.

All five defendants—Salazar, Cano, Gonzales, Grijalva Fierro, and Miranda—face charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Cano is additionally charged with distribution of methamphetamine and using a juvenile in a drug operation. Gonzales and Grijalva Fierro are each charged with distribution of methamphetamine, while Miranda faces charges of distributing both methamphetamine and fentanyl. Salazar and Miranda are also charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

The defendants have been arrested and are currently in federal custody. Salazar surrendered to law enforcement on October 11, 2026, after crossing the border from Mexico into the United States.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Aragon Martinez, with the investigation being a part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative. This initiative aims to combat criminal cartels and transnational criminal organizations through interagency collaboration, focusing on crimes involving children and violent criminal activities.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.