ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen says he wants facts, not a knee-jerk reaction, to recent claims that federal agents let fentanyl flow into New Mexico.
Allen spoke about the allegations about two weeks after former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent David Howell publicly claimed federal agents allowed fentanyl into New Mexico to target bigger traffickers.
“Even though a whistleblower came out I wanted to ask the hard questions not only because of that. Nothing’s really been substantiated. We don’t have a set of facts,” Allen said.
Allen said he shares the anger other state leaders have shown, but he also wants to focus on verified facts before making decisions.
“When you have a kneejerk reaction you make the wrong decisions,” Allen said. “We want to make sure we’re making the right decisions moving forward. Reviewing, making a case.”
Allen said an independent federal investigation is happening now. He said he plans to review it to make sure it meets community standards.
Allen also said state leaders cannot rely only on federal agencies when it comes to drug trafficking cases.
“If people don’t want us to completely depend on the feds, I need legislators to support us, and have anything with narcotics trafficking specifically involved with a firearm that we need harsher penalties,” Allen said. “New Mexico has a history of coddling criminals.”
Allen said his goal is to hold people accountable all the way up the drug food chain. He said some...
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