The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced on Apr. 27 the conclusion of its federal prosecution against the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico (SNM) prison gang, following recent sentencing hearings. The investigation and legal actions, which spanned more than a decade, resulted in state and federal charges against 178 members and associates.
The case is significant due to SNM's extensive criminal activity both inside New Mexico correctional facilities and in communities across the state. The gang, which originated after the 1980 prison riot, maintained control through acts of violence including murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, and witness intimidation. Federal prosecutors used racketeering laws to address decades of organized crime linked to SNM.
Authorities said that investigators used undercover operations, confidential sources, and wire intercepts to expose a coordinated criminal enterprise involving SNM and affiliated gangs. These groups trafficked fentanyl and methamphetamine while employing violence to maintain their power. Over the course of the investigation:
- 156 individuals were federally indicted for 325 overt acts between 1980-2024;
- Members were convicted for involvement in thirteen murders;
- A conspiracy targeting state officials was disrupted;
- Six jury trials led to nine convictions;
- Twelve SNM members received life sentences;
- Law enforcement seized $1.8 million in cash along with large quantities of fentanyl pills and methamphetamine during search warrants executed on September 1, 2022.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison said: “This case required years of patience, discipline, and persistence from prosecutors, agents, and staff who stayed with it to the end. It was difficult work, but it was necessary work, and this office saw it through.”
Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Division said: "It is impossible to overstate the enormity of this investigation. For more than a decade our team and partners stayed committed to dismantling violent crime and delivering justice for the victims and communities most impacted by this gang's violence... Protecting the American people remains the highest priority of the FBI." Garris also thanked all agencies involved in bringing about these results.
Multiple law enforcement agencies assisted with this effort including local police departments as well as several divisions within federal agencies such as FBI offices across multiple states.
