Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

ALBUQUERQUE – Jessica Hofer, 26, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for her methamphetamine trafficking conviction.  Hofer’s co-defendant, Cody Castillo, 31, previously was sentenced to 84 months of imprisonment on Jan. 20, 2017, based on his guilty plea to methamphetamine trafficking charges.

 

Hofer and Castillo were arrested during an ATF-led investigation that resulted in the filing of 59 federal indictments and one federal criminal complaint charging 104 Bernalillo County residents with federal firearms and narcotics trafficking offenses.  The investigation began in mid-April 2016, when ATF personnel from throughout the country joined forces with federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies in New Mexico to combat the high rate of violent crime in the Albuquerque metropolitan area.  The investigators utilized a number of investigative techniques, including undercover operations, historical investigation and targeting of multi-convicted felons in possession of firearms.

 

The investigation was undertaken in support 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 collaborate with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution primarily based on their prior criminal convictions with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.

 

Hofer and Castillo were arrested in July 2016, on an indictment charging them with conspiracy and distribution of methamphetamine on June 2, 2016, in Bernalillo County, N.M.  Hofer pled guilty on Dec. 2, 2016, to a felony information charging her with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and admitted that on June 2, 2016, she sold more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with a 99% purity level to an undercover agent.

 

To date, 32 of the 104 defendants have entered guilty pleas and five have been sentenced.  The remaining defendants, have entered not guilty pleas.  Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.

 

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of ATF.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Eva M. Fontanez prosecuted the case.