Convicted drug trafficker escapes from Las Cruces halfway house, arrested in Carlsbad

A man charged with trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine who illegally left a half-way house in Las Cruces was arrested Monday at a Carlsbad motel where police said he continued to deal drugs.

Gabriel Rodriguez was most recently arrested by agents with the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force at the motel in the 2400 block of South Canal Street near the South Y junction of U.S. Highways 285 and 62/180 on the south side of Carlsbad.

Police found 440 fentanyl pills in Rodriguez’s possession, along with 94 grams of meth, read a drug task force news release.

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Rodriguez was being sought by federal authorities for escaping custody, a violation of his probation. Police believed him to be in Carlsbad selling drugs out of the motel and saw him exit the building and get into a parked car. He was arrested at the scene without incident, the release read.

Police found a loaded 9 millimeter pistol in the car, along with the drugs which were found by K9 officer “Mayhem.” As a convicted felon, it is illegal for Rodriguez to possess firearms, noted the release.

Rodriguez will be charged with federal drug trafficking and firearms charges, the release read, and was remanded into custody by the U.S. Marshals.

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Federal officials were assisted by the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, Carlsbad Police Department and Pecos Valley Drug Task Force.

Federal records show Rodriguez was arrested in March 2013 in Carlsbad when Carlsbad police were called for a report of a shooting between two drivers in the city. The person reporting the incident followed the suspect vehicle, read a criminal complaint, until police gave pursuit.

Rodriguez was detained during the traffic stop, but initially denied shooting a gun. Police found a 9 millimeter Ruger pistol in the vehicle, which Rodriguez told officer he “found,” the complaint read.

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The subsequent search of the vehicle via a search warrant located 9.2 grams of meth, and about 9 grams of cocaine, read the complaint.

Rodriguez later confessed he’d been dealing drugs for about 6 months, denying his sold any cocaine but admitting to dealing “hielo,” which is Spanish for “ice” and a slang term for meth, the report read.

He was convicted and sentenced to 7 years in federal prison in January 2014 on a single charge of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams of meth. The court recommended Rodriguez serve his term at La Tuna Federal Correctional Facility in Anthony.

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Rodriguez was then sentenced to three years’ incarceration in April 2022 for violating his probation by not residing in a residential reentry center, records show, as was stipulated by his release. He was charged with additional violations for possessing controlled substances.

On those charges, Rodriguez was sent to the Diersen Charities halfway house to fulfill that requirement and serve out the final portion of his sentenced. He signed an agreement acknowledging that at the halfway house Rodriguez remained in custody of the U.S. Attorney General, read the report.

Two months later on January 23, 2024, records show Rodriguez left the center without permission and his whereabouts were unknown. He was found in Carlsbad almost two months later.

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Las Cruces halfway house escapee arrested in Carlsbad with fentanyl