ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A third local Drug Enforcement Administration agent has filed a retaliation complaint tied to claims Albuquerque supervisors let large amounts of fentanyl keep moving into the city.
KOB 4 obtained a copy of the new filing with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. The complaint came from a special agent in the Albuquerque office, but the copy KOB 4 reviewed redacts his name.
The agent claims that in 2022, Albuquerque supervisors let a courier caught with 26 pounds of fentanyl and 22 pounds of meth keep operating. He believes that decision allowed tens of thousands of additional fentanyl pills into Albuquerque.
The complaint says agents in Group 3 of the DEA’s Albuquerque District Office arrested a drug courier and found with him 12 kilograms of fentanyl and 10 kilograms of methamphetamine.
The agent says he raised concerns about that decision and says local DEA supervisors retaliated against him with threats, reassignment and increased scrutiny.
The complaint repeatedly points to Jeffrey Armijo, the assistant special agent in charge of the Albuquerque office.
The agent claims Armijo threatened to “ice” him like local DEA Special Agent David Howell, the whistleblower who exposed claims that the DEA allowed fentanyl into New Mexico to build cases.
Weeks earlier, KOB 4 reported on a complaint from a second whistleblower that included similar accusations against Armijo. KOB 4 reached out to the DEA about the latest complaint but had not heard back.
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