8-16-2024 3:23am

Felony Arrest by State Police Yields Drugs and a Firearm

Chris Edwards Editor

Per a release from the New Mexico State Police, On August 11, 2024, at around 9:25 p.m., a New Mexico State Police officer on patrol encountered a 2014 Silver Lexus on Rio Arriba County Road 40. The officer saw Issac Cruz, 34, of Espanola, driving the vehicle. The officer knew Cruz from previous encounters and knew he had an active felony warrant.

The officer initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. Cruz was cooperative and did not resist the officer. Cruz was arrested without incident on his active felony warrant. Cruz had 15 grams of crack cocaine in his pocket at the time of arrest.

Officers obtained a search warrant for Cruz’s vehicle. That search resulted in the following:

• One AR-15 Style Rifle (serial number was tampered with)

• Two rifle magazines

• One handgun magazine

• 50 .380 ammunition live rounds

• 50 9mm ammunition live rounds

• Body armor vests with steel plates

• 2.16 pounds of Heroin

• 1,292 fentanyl pills labeled “M” “30”

• 1.26 Ounces of fentanyl powder

• 8.55 ounces of crack cocaine (Not including the 15 grams in his pocket)

• 6.30 ounces of cocaine

• 1.42 ounces of crystal meth

• Two scales

• 77 plastic zip-loc bags

• Three cell phones

• One Laptop

State Police booked Cruz into the Rio Arriba County Detention Center on his felony warrant and possession of a controlled substance. After the search of his vehicle, State Police additionally charged him with Six Counts of Drug Trafficking, Six Counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, and One County of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.