Alexander M.M. Uballez U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico
A federal grand jury has indicted an Española man, Zacary Cipriano Lucero, on multiple counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. The charges stem from an incident at the Sandia Resort and Casino in Bernalillo County.
According to court documents, on September 16, 2024, Pueblo of Sandia Police responded to a 911 hang-up call from a hotel room at the resort. Officers encountered Lucero, 63, and two women in the room. Lucero alleged that the women had stolen money from him.
During the investigation, one woman suggested searching Lucero's bags, claiming he was trading fentanyl for sex. Lucero denied consent for a search and expressed his desire to drop charges against the women.
After being read his Miranda rights, Lucero explained that he had invited the women to his room around 4 a.m., after meeting them in the casino. He reported missing his cell phone and money after falling asleep.
Officers sealed the room and obtained a search warrant. On September 17, 2024, during its execution, police found approximately 238 grams of suspected fentanyl, 16 grams of suspected cocaine, 50 grams of suspected methamphetamine, and about $3,190 in cash in bags owned by Lucero.
Lucero will remain under conditions of release pending trial. If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez announced these developments today. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Pueblo of Sandia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting it.
An indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
