Newly hired state DOJ paralegal arrested in record 44kg fentanyl bust

Federal agents seized a record amount of fentanyl powder from an Albuquerque home belonging to a newly hired state Department of Justice employee.

Angel Ramirez, a 45-year-old paralegal, was arrested at her residence in northwest Albuquerque on October 29. Authorities announced the arrest on Tuesday after she appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura Fashing. The operation resulted in the largest seizure of fentanyl powder in New Mexico history.

Agents executed a search warrant at Ramirez’s home and found approximately 44 kilograms of fentanyl powder. They also recovered more than 7 kilograms of fentanyl pills, heroin, and about 29 firearms with ammunition. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison called the seizure a tremendous accomplishment for the federal task force.

Ramirez was employed by the state Department of Justice for only two weeks. State Attorney General Raúl Torrez’s office hired her on October 13. Chelsea Pitvorec, the deputy communication director for the state DOJ, confirmed that Ramirez was immediately terminated upon her arrest.

Pitvorec stated that the state office had received no communication from federal law enforcement prior to the arrest. She said the office had no indication that the circumstances leading to the arrest were connected to her employment. Court documents describe Ramirez as a paralegal with previous experience in state prosecutor offices.

Ellison alleged that Ramirez used her government employment and clean criminal history to create a veneer of legitimacy. He said her residence operated as a distribution hub for narcotics, drug proceeds, and firearms. The federal team included agents from the DEA, FBI, IRS, and local sheriff’s offices.

Ramirez faces federal charges for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. She is also charged with using and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, she faces a prison sentence ranging from 15 years to life.

This arrest is the first major announcement from the DEA since the Albuquerque Journal reported in June that the agency allowed large amounts of fentanyl to reach New Mexico communities during wiretap investigations. This practice, known as fentanyl walking, has drawn national attention and congressional scrutiny.

Torrez’s office is currently investigating the revelations of fentanyl walking. The state has been at odds with the U.S. Attorney’s Office over the federal agency’s refusal to turn over requested records. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Torrez have criticized the release of the drug to the streets, citing New Mexico’s high rate of drug overdose deaths.

The seizure follows a previous record-breaking bust in late April 2025 involving several million fentanyl pills. That case involved an alleged five-state trafficking organization supplied by a Mexican cartel. Ellison’s office did not immediately comment on whether wiretaps were used in the Ramirez investigation.