An Albuquerque man and teen were arrested Friday after police say they found the pair with five rifles, five pistols, 400 fentanyl pills and more than $11,000 cash.
Rebecca Atkins of the Albuquerque Police Department said Richard Baca, who just turned 17, and 28-year-old Andres Armijo are facing drug trafficking charges.
Armijo is also facing a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for allegedly selling drugs alongside Baca.
Atkins said the pair had sold drugs twice to undercover officers.
Albuquerque police seized several guns, bulk cash and drugs in a bust Friday. (APD)
Court records show Armijo and Baca are alleged to have sold drugs to undercover officers in mid-June but no other instances are documented. It’s unclear when the second alleged sale happened or why police didn’t execute search warrants or arrest the pair until Friday.
Albuquerque police spokespeople did not respond to questions on the case.
Court records show Armijo’s criminal history includes arrests on larceny, drug and gun possession and domestic violence charges. Most recently, in 2020, Cibola County deputies arrested Armijo after allegedly finding him in a rental car with three guns and 17 pounds of pot.
The case was dismissed, according to court records, due to “search and seizure issues related to valid medical marijuana cards” on Armijo and his passengers.
Atkins said the Gun Violence Street Team locked onto Armijo and Baca after finding the pair selling fentanyl via Facebook. She said officers bought fentanyl from Baca twice, including at his home in Southwest Albuquerque.
Atkins said police arrested Armijo and Baca and executed search warrants in the case on Friday — seizing five rifles, five pistols, 400 fentanyl pills, more than 2,500 rounds of ammunition and $11,800 in cash.
Detectives first saw fentanyl pills being advertised over social media on June 10, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. Detectives arranged to buy drugs from Baca, who used the Facebook profile “Menacefrm Thablockk.”
In the following days detectives surveilled Baca and Armijo as they worked for a local mobile detailing service around town. Police said on June 14, undercover detectives bought 100 fentanyl pills from Baca and another man, later identified as Armijo, at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Southeast Albuquerque.
