Two in Ruidoso Downs charged with meth trafficking in Clovis-based federal drug bust

A Ruidoso Downs woman and man were linked to a Clovis-based drug trafficking ring targeting Lincoln County, police said, along with several other communities in southern New Mexico.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration announced Friday it indicted Michelle Sandoval, 52, and William Voges, 53, both of Ruidoso Downs on federal drug trafficking charges, along with Jose Badillo-Hernandez, 51, of Clovis, Rebecca Chavez, 39, of Portales and Sandoval’s brother, Joseph Sandoval, 50, of Clovis.

Two Mexican citizens, Manuel Pinon-Duran, 47, and Daniel Perez, 53, were also charged in the case.

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The defendants each face sentences of at least 10 years in prison.

Police said the group was involved in an operation based in Clovis where they allegedly conspired to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in Curry, Lincoln, Roosevelt and Cibola counties, read a news release.

The alleged drug-dealing operation took place between October 2022 and December 2023, police said.

The indictment, filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico and the DEA’s El Paso Division included six counts against the seven defendants following an investigation in Clovis and Ruidoso Downs.

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The DEA was aided by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, New Mexico State Police, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations and the Region V Drug Task Force.

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on X, formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Two in Ruidoso Downs charged in Clovis-based federal drug bust