Valencia County drug bust yields three arrests, fentanyl and firearms seized
Three people were arrested after deputies found powdered fentanyl, meth, Xanax and firearms in a months-long Los Lunas narcotics case.
Powdered fentanyl turned up alongside methamphetamine, Xanax and firearms when Valencia County sheriff’s deputies closed a months-long narcotics case in Los Lunas. The arrests put a drug tied to fatal overdoses into the center of a household-safety issue that reaches far beyond the courtroom.
The Valencia County Sheriff’s Office said Stacy Cruz, Juan Gutierrez and Brannon Holley were arrested earlier this week after the counter-narcotics investigation. The agency said all three are facing a variety of charges.
A sheriff’s office Facebook post described the case as a several-months-long narcotics investigation and identified Jose Rivera as the primary target. That post also said deputies recovered three firearms and firearm components and accessories, and said Rivera was charged with child abuse.
The seizure comes as New Mexico continues to face some of the nation’s most severe overdose losses. State health data show 775 overdose deaths in 2024, a rate of 36.4 deaths per 100,000 people. In a county where fentanyl, methamphetamine and firearms can surface in the same investigation, that statewide toll gives the bust immediate meaning for families watching what comes through their neighborhoods and homes.
Residents looking for overdose response tools have a free option in Los Lunas. Los Lunas Fire Station 2 has a Narcan and gun lock vending machine, and naloxone, also sold as Narcan, is a medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. State harm-reduction services also offer free naloxone by mail.
Treatment options are available in Valencia County as well. Porch Light Health offers medication-assisted treatment in the county, and the Village of Los Lunas Valencia County DWI Program lists 3445 Lambros Loop in Los Lunas and a 24/7 free and confidential line at 505-354-8215. For people facing opioid use, the next step can start with naloxone in the home, a local clinic appointment or a confidential call for help.
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