Prosecution Brought Under Federal “Worst of the Worst" Anti-Violence Initiative
ALBUQUERQUE - Trinidad Gallegos, 46, of Albuquerque, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court to firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez, 2nd Judicial District Attorney Kari E. Brandenburg, Special Agent in Charge Waldemar Rodriguez of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Special Agent in Charge Thomas G. Atteberry of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Chief Gorden Eden, Jr., of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD), and Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales, III. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Gallegos will be sentenced to eight years in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
Gallegos was arrested in July 2015, on an indictment charging him with assaulting a federal law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition on Aug. 20, 2014, in Bernalillo County, N.M. On that day, Gallegos was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his status as a convicted felon. Court records reflect that Gallegos has been convicted of possession of a controlled substance, possession and uttering of counterfeit obligations and securities, making false statement, larceny, forgery, conspiracy to commit unlawful taking of a vehicle, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
During today’s proceedings, Gallegos pled guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Gallegos admitted that on Aug. 20, 2014, as he attempted to flee from law enforcement officers in a tow truck where he possessed a shotgun and ammunition, he collided into a vehicle driven by a federal law enforcement officer. Gallegos further admitted that after colliding with the officer, he continued driving the tow truck backwards down the street and crashed into another vehicle. Gallegos ran away and broke into homes as he attempted to evade arrest. Gallegos acknowledged that as a convicted felon, he was not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.
Gallegos remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque offices of Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Albuquerque Police Department and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec is prosecuting the case as part of 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 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 rates, on a per capita basis, are amongst 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 Bernalillo County, under this initiative.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
