Two More Curry County Residents Plead Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking Charges

ALBUQUERQUE – Jeanette Driever, 37, of Grady, N.M., and John Jesse Perez, Jr., 45, of Clovis, N.M., entered guilty pleas today to federal drug trafficking charges.  Each entered a guilty plea to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Curry County, N.M.  Their co-defendant Christopher Jason Kidd, 38, also of Clovis, N.M., pled guilty to a similar charge earlier this week.

Driever, Perez, Kidd and co-defendant Tina Tafoya, 33, also of Clovis, N.M., were indicted in Feb. 2014, on federal methamphetamine trafficking charges.  Count 1 of the three-count indictment alleged that the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Curry County, N.M., between Sept. 2013 and Nov. 2013.  Count 2 alleged that Kidd and Tafoya possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Nov. 6, 2013, and Count 3 alleged that Driever and Perez possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute on that same day.

During her plea hearing, Driever admitted that she and Perez obtained quantities of methamphetamine from Kidd and Tafoya that they distributed to others.  According to Driever’s plea agreement, on Nov. 9, 2013, Driever arranged for Kidd and Tafoya to supply her and Perez with a pound of methamphetamine which they packed into numerous smaller baggies for resale. 

During his plea hearing, Perez acknowledged participating in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy that involved Driever, Kidd, Tafoya and others.   

Kidd entered his guilty plea on Nov. 17, 2014, and admitted conspiring with his co-defendants to distribute methamphetamine in Curry County.  Kidd’s plea agreement states that he and Tafoya supplied quantities of methamphetamine to others, including Driever and Perez, who resold the methamphetamine in smaller quantities to users.  According to Kidd’s plea agreement, on Nov. 9, 2013, Kidd and Tafoya supplied a pound of methamphetamine to Driever and Perez.  On that day, Kidd and Tafoya possessed another half-pound of methamphetamine at their residence.  The methamphetamine was seized later that day pursuant to search warrants.

The three defendants will be sentenced to the following terms of incarceration under the terms of their respective plea agreements:  Kidd will serve 78 months; Driever will serve 60 months; and Perez will serve 36 months.  Each will serve a five year term of supervised release after completing his or her prison sentence.  All three remain in custody pending their sentencing hearings, which have not been scheduled.

Tafoya has entered a not guilty plea and remains in custody pending trial, which is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2015.  An indictment is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case was investigated by the Las Cruces Agency Office of the FBI’s Albuquerque Division, the Region V Drug Task Force and the New Mexico State Police, with assistance from the Ninth Judicial District Attorney’s Office.  The Region V Drug Task Force is comprised of the Clovis Police Department, the Portales Police Department, Curry County Sheriff’s Office and the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Jon Ganjei is prosecuting the case.