Anthony Man Sentenced to More Than 19 Years for Meth Trafficking

A federal sentence announced December 11 resolved a case that began with controlled buys in the summer of 2024 and culminated in a large seizure of methamphetamine, firearms and ammunition. David Amaya, 43, was sentenced to 235 months in prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and related firearms offenses. Upon release he will be subject to five years of supervised release.

Court records show law enforcement arranged controlled purchases in July and August 2024 from a tow behind trailer on property owned by Amaya s parents in Anthony. Those buys prompted a search warrant that agents executed on August 22, 2024. During the search of the trailer and an attached makeshift bathroom structure agents recovered more than 1.18 kilograms of methamphetamine. Additional methamphetamine was found in a clothing hamper and under the bed. Investigators also seized two firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

The case was investigated by the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation s Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Las Cruces Metro Narcotics Task Force. The U S Attorney s Office in Albuquerque prosecuted the matter, with Assistant U S Attorney Kirk Williams handling the case. Acting U S Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI s Albuquerque Field Office, announced the sentence.

For Valencia County residents and neighboring communities the case highlights both the reach of federal enforcement and the persistent local impact of methamphetamine distribution. Large federal sentences are intended to disrupt supply networks and remove individuals found to be trafficking drugs while armed. Seizures of quantities exceeding one kilogram suggest distribution beyond occasional personal use, which increases the risk of neighborhood violence and public health harms.

Local law enforcement and regional task forces remain primary points of contact for reporting suspicious activity, and federal agencies continue to coordinate across jurisdictions to address trafficking that flows through multiple counties. The sentence closes one chapter in a long running struggle against illegal stimulants that affect families, emergency responders and community safety across southern New Mexico.