Deming Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Firearms Offenses

ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Manuel Lucero III was sentenced to the statutory maximum of 120 months in prison. Lucero, 42, of Deming, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition on March 21, 2023.

According to court records, on Jan. 31, 2022, Lucero came to the attention of law enforcement when his former romantic partner reported him for harassment. The woman stated that she had been driving down a road earlier that day with her mother and two children in the vehicle when she noticed that another vehicle was following her. The woman pulled over and recognized Lucero as the driver. Lucero approached the car and pulled a firearm from his waistband and pointed it at the woman. Lucero then moved to the passenger side of the vehicle and pointed the gun at the woman’s mother. The woman fled the scene, but Lucero continued to follow her until she pulled into the parking lot of a local police station. The woman was able to describe the firearm Lucero threatened her with to law enforcement as a 9mm Beretta.

Early the following morning, Lucero contacted law enforcement and stated he was feeling depressed and upset and wanted to speak to an officer. When law enforcement arrived at his home, Lucero was holding a loaded magazine. When officers asked Lucero if he had a weapon, Lucero stated it was not on the property. Officers left the home and returned the next day, Feb. 2, with a search warrant for Lucero’s residence. During the resulting search, officers located the 9mm Beretta, a loaded magazine, a pistol holster and one round of .45 ammunition.  

Lucero had multiple prior felony convictions, mostly related to incidents of domestic violence, and was most recently convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, resulting in great bodily harm in 2016. As a previously convicted felon, Lucero could not possess a firearm or ammunition.

Based on the circumstances of the incident on Jan. 31, the United States requested a sentencing enhancement from a range of 57 to 71 months to 84 months. On Nov. 16, 2023, the sentencing judge sentenced Lucero to the statutory maximum of 120 months.

Upon his release from prison, Lucero will be subject to 3 years of supervise release.

The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Deming Police Department. The Las Cruces Bureau Office of the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.

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