Defendant Attempted to Sell Ten Pounds of Methamphetamine to Undercover Agent
ALBUQUERQUE - Massiel Segoviano-Fierro, 24, a Mexican national illegally residing in the United States, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a methamphetamine trafficking charge.
Segoviano-Fierro and his co-defendant Juan Carlos Nieblas-Ruelas, 27, also a Mexican national illegally residing in the United States, were arrested in Nov. 2015, and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Nov. 23, 2015, in Bernalillo Country N.M. The two men were arrested after Segoviano-Fierro attempted to sell approximately ten pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement agent.
During today’s proceedings, Segoviano-Fierro pleaded guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In entering his guilty plea, Segoviano-Fierro admitted that on Nov. 23, 2015, in Bernalillo County, he attempted to sell methamphetamine to an individual who unbeknownst to him was an undercover law enforcement agent. Segoviano-Fierro further admitted that he collaborated with Nieblas-Ruelas to obtain approximately ten pounds of methamphetamine to sell and distribute in Albuquerque.
On Jan. 22, 2016, Nieblas-Ruelas plead guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and admitted that on Nov. 23, 2015, he retrieved methamphetamine from a trailer house in Albuquerque which he then gave to Segoviano-Fierro to distribute and sell in Albuquerque.
At sentencing, Segoviano-Fierro and Nieblas-Ruelas each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and will be deported following their terms of incarceration. Both men remain in custody pending sentencing hearings which have yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of Homeland Security Investigations and the New Mexico State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Walsh.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
