Bernalillo High student arrested in THC vape distribution case

A single THC vape at Bernalillo High School quickly exposed a wider distribution problem, according to police, with a younger student describing how an older classmate handed over the device and advertising for the product circulating on social media before officers zeroed in on a suspect.

Bernalillo Police arrested Gabriel Marquez, 18, of Santa Fe, on May 12 on allegations that he distributed synthetic cannabinoids in a drug-free school zone and contributed to the delinquency of a minor. The case began when a juvenile student was found with a THC vape at school and told investigators that an older student had provided it. That student also said they had seen a social media video advertising THC vape products and described the person handing them out as someone with a neck tattoo and a facial piercing. Bernalillo police then worked with Bernalillo High School security to identify Marquez.

After Marquez was brought to the principal’s office, officers searched him and allegedly found seven more vape devices, one already opened and six still sealed in their original packaging. Police also said they found more than $1,400 wrapped in a rubber band. The quantity of devices suggested more than a one-time handoff and pointed to a small, informal market moving through the school, with products that may appear ordinary but can contain intoxicating substances.

The charges carry serious consequences under New Mexico law. State statutes treat drug activity in a posted drug-free school zone as an enhanced offense, and synthetic-cannabinoid cases can rise from misdemeanor exposure to a fourth-degree felony depending on quantity. If Marquez is convicted, he could face up to five years in prison. In some synthetic-cannabinoid cases involving minors, state law also allows community service requirements for younger defendants.

The case lands in a broader public-health context. The New Mexico Department of Health’s 2023 Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey included 35,720 public middle- and high-school students statewide, underscoring that nicotine, tobacco and drug use remain a persistent youth issue across New Mexico. For Bernalillo Public Schools, which maintains a district handbook and wellness policy aimed at keeping campuses drug-free, the arrest is a reminder that prevention now has to account for social media promotion, school-zone enforcement and the speed at which one vape can turn into several.