More than 30 arrested on federal, state charges

Law enforcement officers arrested more than 30 people in southeast New Mexico last week on federal and state criminal charges.

A spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Service said 31 people were taken into custody during an operation that involved numerous agencies. There were a range of charges, including kidnapping, armed robbery, felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute.

The Eddy County Sheriff's Office, the Carlsbad Police Department, the Artesia Police Department, the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the Marshals Service were all involved in serving the warrants. Thirteen federal and 17 state arrest warrants were served.

The only suspect who was arrested and publicly identified on Thursday was Chris Garcia of Carlsbad. Law enforcement entered his home in the 2300 block of Livingston Road to execute an arrest warrant on Tuesday.

Garcia was arrested after leaving his bedroom, and a search of the room uncovered eight firearms and a fanny pack with ammunition. The fanny pack also had a key to a safe in the bedroom, which contained 1,800 fentanyl pills, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Roswell.

He made his first appearance in federal court on Wednesday, according to court records.

Garcia was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute 180 gross grams of fentanyl. His attorney couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.