Man sentenced to 27 years in prison

PORTALES — A Portales man was sentenced Monday to 27 years in prison for habitual drug trafficking, according to a release from the district attorney’s office.

Ruben Lozano, 49, was found guilty last November of trafficking methamphetamine, receiving a stolen firearm and possession of heroin. The charges stemmed from a 2018 warrant served on Lozano’s residence.

The sentence given by District Judge Donna Mowrer included an eight-year enhancement per the state’s habitual offender act.

“The Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office did a great job in taking this drug dealer off the streets and protecting our community,” District Attorney Andrea Reeb said in the release.

Quentin Ray prosecuted the case for the state.

Chris Christensen, who represented Lozano, said, “It was a rather heavy sentence leveled against him,” and that any decision on an appeal would be up to Lozano.