Leaders of Taos County family drug ring sentenced
SANTA FE — The leaders of a family drug ring that operated in Taos County for at least two generations have been sentenced to spent a decade behind bars.
In federal court Tuesday, Ivan Romero, 41, of El Prado, was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic heroin and launder the proceeds.
Romero’s younger brother, Ricco Romero, was sentenced to 10 years with five years of supervised release for his role in the family operation. They were both also required to forfeit $448,590 in cash and pay $15,000 in community restitution, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The brothers were charged in December 2015 for conspiring with seven others, including their mother, to traffic methamphetamine and heroin and launder the money. All of the defendants have pleaded guilty for their roles and only two are still awaiting sentencing.
According to court documents, Drug Enforcement Administration agents believe the family was selling heroin in Taos County for up to 30 years. Ivan and Ricco Romero’s father allegedly ran the operation,
which included carriers and street-level drug dealers, before stepping down due to failing health and having Ivan take over for him.
Agents raided Ivan Romero’s home in April 2015 and seized over 300 grams of heroin and nearly $65,000 in cash. The next day, family members took $90,000 in cash to a Taos bank to get a cashier’s check for Ivan’s bond. Bank employees called State Police after complaining that the bills smelled funny and made their eyes itch and burn.
A police dog later found traces of illegal drugs on the money. Agents conducted more raids, surveillance and controlled buys before making more arrests.
Prosecutors say the Romero brothers were responsible for purchasing heroin from suppliers in Albuquerque and Los Lunas. Other members of the organization acted as couriers and regularly transported large quantities of heroin to the Romeros in Taos County.
Ivan Romero and Ricco Romero prepared the heroin for distribution by mixing or “cutting” it with other substances, repackaged it in smaller portions, and distributed it both directly and through their network of other drug dealers, said the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Wilma Romero, Ivan and Ricco’s mother, has been sentenced to two years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Ivan Romero’s wife, Melissa Romero, was given three years of probation.
Nicholas Baca, Juanita Romero and Elena Carabajal have been sentenced and will be under five years of supervised release after serving some prison time.
Two other defendants, Tyler “Zig-Zag” Baker and Jason “Jurassic” Duran have not yet been sentenced.