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Gallup Sun

Thursday, Mar 28th

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Drug bust scores big for police

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After a three month long investigation, the Gallup Police Department Narcotics Task Force was able to secure a subpoena for the Abeita residence and found drugs and money in an early morning raid June 26.

Due to the dangers of the job and the confidential requirements of the Narcotics Task Force, the Gallup Sun will not release the names of the Agents. Agent #1 and Agent #2 were interviewed in a secure location about the June 26 raid, along with GPD Capt. Rick White and other media reporters.

“We’ve had an ongoing investigation on Kristopher Abeita since March,” Agent #1 said. “We were finally able to get a warrant signed, we served that warrant at 3301 Box Canyon Avenue at 6:00 am.”

The residence belongs to Kenneth and Carla Abeita, owners of Abeita Glass Company. Kristopher is their 19-year-old son whom resides with them.

The task force, along with the GPD K-9 division and five uniformed patrol officers searched the house. The K-9 officer alerted to drugs and money at the residence. The task force located 110.1 grams of marijuana and seized $7,261 in cash. The drugs were located in the garage of the residence. The agents estimated the street value of the marijuana to be approximately $1,500.

“Everything went well, no one fought with us, the whole family was cooperative,” Agent #1 said.

While Abeita has no prior criminal history, he was arrested at the scene and charged with trafficking marijuana, a second degree felony.

“More charges are pending,” White said.

White said that the charges pending will not be confirmed until the evidence is processed and the results of that evidence comes back from the crime lab. The results will have to confirm that the drugs are in fact marijuana and the purity of the drug. The purity of the drug will not change or add to any charges.

In a completely different context, Kristopher Abeita’s father was also arrested at the scene.

“The dad went to jail because of a warrant,” Agent #2 said. “It was completely unrelated.”

Kenneth Abeita had an outstanding warrant for battery on a household member.

“It was an excellent investigation,” White said. “Good teamwork.”

Kristopher is currently being held at the McKinley County Adult Detention Center on a $10,000 cash only bond.