January 20th, 2016
Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization that Distributed Large Quantities of Methamphetamine in Arizona and Doña Ana County was Prosecuted as Part of Federal “Worst of the Worst†Anti-Violence Initiative
ALBUQUERQUE –Matthew Maley, 48, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 262 months (almost 22 years) in prison followed by ten years of supervised release for his conviction on methamphetamine trafficking and firearms charges.
U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez said that Maley, a career offender whose criminal history includes three prior drug trafficking convictions, was prosecuted under a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst†offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible. Because New Mexico’s violent crime rate, on a per capita basis, is one of the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community is collaborating to target repeat offenders from counties with the highest violent crime rates, including Doña Ana County, N.M., under this initiative.
Maley and his four co-defendants Jennifer Sanders, 43, Jose Luis Niño, 41, and Aubrey Savage, 36, all of Las Cruces, and Candice Marie Carpenter, 36, of Tucson, were charged in a 14-count superseding indictment filed in March 2014. The superseding indictment charged Maley, Sanders and Savage with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Doña Ana County from June 2013 through Aug. 2013, and Maley, Nino and Carpenter with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Doña Ana County in Dec. 2013. The superseding indictment also charged the defendants with various substantive methamphetamine trafficking offenses, and Maley and Niño were charged with being felons in possession of firearms and ammunition. The four co-defendants entered guilty pleas to various counts of the superseding indictment while Maley elected to exercise his right to a jury trial.
Maley proceeded to trial on Sept. 22, 2014, on five methamphetamine trafficking charges and a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition charge. Before the case was submitted to the jury, the court entered a directed verdict of acquittal on one of the drug charges. The trial concluded on Sept. 25, 2014, when the jury returned a verdict of guilty against Maley on four methamphetamine trafficking charges and the firearms charge.
The trial evidence established that Maley was the head of a drug trafficking organization that distributed significant quantities of methamphetamine in New Mexico and Arizona. During July and Aug. 2013, undercover officers made several controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Maley, Sanders and Savage, including the purchase of a pound of methamphetamine on Aug. 21, 2013. From Oct. through Dec. 2013, an informant purchased methamphetamine from Niño, who obtained the methamphetamine from Maley, and on Dec. 4, 2013, officers seized approximately 274 grams of methamphetamine when they executed a search warrant at Niño’s residence in Las Cruces.
On June 11, 2014, Savage pled guilty to a conspiracy count, and was sentenced on Feb. 25, 2015, to 60 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release.
On July 16, 2014, Niño pled guilty to conspiracy, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and felon in possession of ammunition. At sentencing, Niño faces a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
On July 18, 2014, Sanders pled guilty to conspiracy and seven counts of distribution of methamphetamine. At sentencing, Sanders faces a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. Her sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
On Sept. 18, 2014, Carpenter pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. back...
ALBUQUERQUE –Matthew Maley, 48, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 262 months (almost 22 years) in prison followed by ten years of supervised release for his conviction on methamphetamine trafficking and firearms charges.
U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez said that Maley, a career offender whose criminal history includes three prior drug trafficking convictions, was prosecuted under a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst†offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible. Because New Mexico’s violent crime rate, on a per capita basis, is one of the highest in the nation, New Mexico’s law enforcement community is collaborating to target repeat offenders from counties with the highest violent crime rates, including Doña Ana County, N.M., under this initiative.
Maley and his four co-defendants Jennifer Sanders, 43, Jose Luis Niño, 41, and Aubrey Savage, 36, all of Las Cruces, and Candice Marie Carpenter, 36, of Tucson, were charged in a 14-count superseding indictment filed in March 2014. The superseding indictment charged Maley, Sanders and Savage with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Doña Ana County from June 2013 through Aug. 2013, and Maley, Nino and Carpenter with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Doña Ana County in Dec. 2013. The superseding indictment also charged the defendants with various substantive methamphetamine trafficking offenses, and Maley and Niño were charged with being felons in possession of firearms and ammunition. The four co-defendants entered guilty pleas to various counts of the superseding indictment while Maley elected to exercise his right to a jury trial.
Maley proceeded to trial on Sept. 22, 2014, on five methamphetamine trafficking charges and a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition charge. Before the case was submitted to the jury, the court entered a directed verdict of acquittal on one of the drug charges. The trial concluded on Sept. 25, 2014, when the jury returned a verdict of guilty against Maley on four methamphetamine trafficking charges and the firearms charge.
The trial evidence established that Maley was the head of a drug trafficking organization that distributed significant quantities of methamphetamine in New Mexico and Arizona. During July and Aug. 2013, undercover officers made several controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Maley, Sanders and Savage, including the purchase of a pound of methamphetamine on Aug. 21, 2013. From Oct. through Dec. 2013, an informant purchased methamphetamine from Niño, who obtained the methamphetamine from Maley, and on Dec. 4, 2013, officers seized approximately 274 grams of methamphetamine when they executed a search warrant at Niño’s residence in Las Cruces.
On June 11, 2014, Savage pled guilty to a conspiracy count, and was sentenced on Feb. 25, 2015, to 60 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release.
On July 16, 2014, Niño pled guilty to conspiracy, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and felon in possession of ammunition. At sentencing, Niño faces a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
On July 18, 2014, Sanders pled guilty to conspiracy and seven counts of distribution of methamphetamine. At sentencing, Sanders faces a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. Her sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
On Sept. 18, 2014, Carpenter pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. back...
