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Press Release

Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Heroin and Methamphetamine Trafficking Charges

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico
Defendant, who is being Prosecuted as Part of the HOPE Initiative which Seeks to Reduce the Number of Opioid-Related Deaths in New Mexico, Faces Prison Sentence within the Range of 30 Years to Life if Deemed a Career Offender

ALBUQUERQUE – John Hanrahan, 57, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to heroin and methamphetamine trafficking charges without the benefit of a plea agreement.  At sentencing, Hanrahan faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of ten years and a maximum of life in federal prison.  However, if the court determines that Hanrahan is a career offender, he faces a prison sentence within the range of 30 years to a maximum of life imprisonment. 

Hanrahan, whose prior criminal history includes felony convictions for conspiracy, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit fraudulent use of credit cards, aggravated battery on a police officer, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, is being prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets violent, repeat offenders for federal prosecution.  Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target for federal prosecution violent or repeat offenders with the goal of making communities in New Mexico safer places for people to live and work.

DEA agents arrested Hanrahan in March 2016, when they executed a state search warrant at his residence and seized approximately 1961 grams of heroin, 128 grams of methamphetamine and more than $15,000 in cash. 

Hanrahan subsequently was indicted on April 12, 2016, and was charged with possession of heroin and methamphetamine with intent to distribute.  According to the indictment, Hanrahan committed the offenses on March 17, 2016, in Bernalillo County, N.M.

Hanrahan has been in federal custody since his arrest and remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque offices of the DEA and FBI.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristopher N. Houghton and Alexander M. Uballez are prosecuting the case as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative.  The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico.  Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities.  Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico. 

The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components:  (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning.  HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners.  Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. 

Updated October 4, 2018

Topics
Drug Trafficking
Opioids
Violent Crime