ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Four people were sentenced for their roles in a drug trafficking organization that operated out of various Motel 6 locations in Albuquerque.
According to court documents, the investigation revealed that the organization distributed methamphetamine. Members also routinely carried firearms during drug transactions and were involved in other criminal activities, including selling firearms and a kidnapping incident.
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The Motel 6 on Carlisle and I-40 served as a hub for the group’s operations. Between January and June 2020, police received 233 calls for service, including reports of firearms activity, armed robberies, and other serious crimes.
The four defendants that have been sentenced are as follows:
Jack Trujillo, 48, the ringleader, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for multiple counts of methamphetamine distribution, firearms offenses, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. When released from prison, Trujillo will be subject to five years of supervised release.
Alberto Gomez, 40, received a 11.5-year sentence for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, aiding and abetting the possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Gomez will undergo five years of supervised release when he gets released from prison.
Cedric Kulka, 26, was sentenced to eight years of imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Upon his release from prison, Kulka will undergo three years of supervised release.
Christopher Hulsey, 29, received a 15-year sentence for multiple counts of methamphetamine distribution, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Upon his release from prison, Hulsey will be subject to five years of supervised release.
The sentences mark the conclusion of a multi-agency investigation that began in August 2020 as part of Operation Legend.