ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The attorney representing a DEA whistleblower says his client knew of the potential career risks, but decided nonetheless to expose a policy shift in which agents in New Mexico were reportedly told not to seize fentanyl pills, so federal prosecutors could try to build bigger or more thorough cases against drug traffickers.
Attorney Tristan Leavitt, who serves as the president of the nonprofit Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research, told KOB 4 that DEA special agent David Howell was stunned when he first received pushback for seizing fentanyl pills instead of allowing them to “walk” or flow into New Mexico communities.
Leavitt claims much of that pushback started in 2023 and primarily came from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Mexico, which was led by Alexander Uballez at that time.
“I think he started to realize there were going to be repercussions. And the U.S. Attorney’s Office prohibited him from testifying in any cases, which is, you know, significantly detrimental to your career,” said Leavitt.
Howell is one of three current or former DEA employees who spoke to the Associated Press to help reveal a DEA tactic that allegedly led to millions of fentanyl pills entering New Mexico when they could have been seized.
“One recent supervisor, who’s left the DEA, observed a car with 1.8 million fentanyl pills in it and was told to stand down. And he said that was just a fraction of what was moving every week,” said Leavitt.
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