Albuquerque Man to Serve 200 Months in Prison for Federal Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearms Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE – Last week, a federal judge sentenced David Deloss Washburn, 31, of Albuquerque, N.M., to a 200-month term of imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release for his conviction on methamphetamine trafficking and firearms charges. Washburn’s sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales and Thomas G. Atteberry, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Washburn was charged with possession of methamphetamine and Ecstasy with intent to distribute; carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime; and being a felon in possession of a firearm in an indictment that was filed under seal on Aug. 25, 2010. The indictment alleged that, on May 7, 2010, Washburn possessed distribution amounts of methamphetamine and Ecstasy in Bernalillo County, N.M. It also alleged that, on that same date, Washburn carried a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. On May 7, 2010, Washburn was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he previously had been convicted of the following felony offenses in the Second Judicial District Court for the State of New Mexico: (1) aggravated fleeing from a law enforcement officer, (2) possession of methamphetamine; and (3) auto burglary.

On Feb. 10, 2011, Washburn was indicted in a separate case and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The second indictment alleged that Washburn possessed a firearm with an obliterated serial number in Bernalillo County on Dec. 14, 2010.

The first indictment was unsealed on Feb. 22, 2011, when Washburn was transferred from state custody to federal custody. Washburn has been in federal custody since that time.

On March 14, 2012, Washburn pled guilty to the methamphetamine trafficking and firearms charges in the first indictment and the felon in possession charge in the second indictment under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

At his sentencing hearing on Jan. 3, 2013, Washburn was sentenced to 140 months of imprisonment for the methamphetamine trafficking conviction to be followed by a consecutive 60 months of imprisonment for carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, for a total of 200 months of imprisonment. Washburn also was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment for being a felon in possession, which is to run concurrent to his 200 month prison sentence.

The case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Albuquerque Police Department and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the District Attorney’s Office for the Second Judicial District, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda J. Mott.

The case against Washburn was brought as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets Dthe worst of the worstD offenders for federal prosecution under the federal firearms and narcotics laws. Under the initiative, a state-wide, multi-agency effort denominated as the New Mexico Federal Gang Task Force, the U.S. AttorneyDs Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New MexicoDs District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from our communities for as long as possible.