Four Los Alamos teens arrested
Cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana found in homes
Story by Stephanie Nakhleh
Photographs by Minesh Bacrania
Note: There are a few corrections and updates to this story here.
In a sweeping drug bust early Tuesday morning, the Los Alamos Police Department (LAPD) arrested four local high school students on charges related to drug trafficking. The arrests were part of a four-month long investigation dubbed "Operation L.E.A.D" (Law Enforcement Against Drugs).
The operation, which began around 7 a.m., resulted in the arrest of two 16-year-old girls, a 16-year-old boy, and 18-year-old Isaiah Jones. The juveniles were charged with trafficking controlled substances, with the two girls facing additional charges for trafficking in a school zone. Jones was charged with one count of trafficking a controlled substance. Cmdr. Daniel Roberts confirmed that the arrests took place at homes in both Los Alamos and White Rock.
In an interview with Boomtown, Roberts said that cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana were recovered during the operation, along with drug paraphernalia showing “remnants of fentanyl use.” More arrests are expected as the investigation continues.
"This investigation is ongoing and is a part of LAPD's efforts to keep illegal drugs out of our community and away from our youth in Los Alamos County," Roberts stated in a press release. "Operation L.E.A.D had many moving parts. This was a team effort, where patrol, SRO's, detention, dispatch, and investigations came together; I am very proud of our employees and their continued commitment to our community."
As the investigation continues, the police remind the community to report suspected drug activity and remain vigilant about the dangers of fentanyl and other illicit drugs. The adult suspect, Isaiah Jones, is currently being held in the Los Alamos County Jail, while the three juveniles have been transported to a juvenile facility, said Roberts.
Los Alamos Public Schools Superintendent Jennifer Guy learned of the operation just hours after it concluded. "I appreciate the police department and their investigation. Absolutely," Guy told Boomtown. "To be able to appropriately control drug abuse in our community, it's going to take a community effort."
Guy emphasized the seriousness of the situation, saying, "It's dangerous. We can't allow any drug use and dealing of drugs in our community. Whether that's with our youth or with adults. It has to be unacceptable, because it's life threatening."
The school district lost a student to a fentanyl overdose last year, making the fight against drug use a top priority. "As long as there's drugs in our community, I hope our police department is actively making arrests, and actively investigating. I don't think that that should be a surprise to anybody. That should be an expectation, right? It’s certainly my expectation," Guy said.
Guy encourages parents to talk with their children about the arrests and to reach out if they have any concerns or information that could help the investigation. The district offers an anonymous reporting system that goes directly to the police department, which Guy says can be a lifesaving tool.
“If someone is caught up in that situation, and they don't know what to do, or they don't know how to get their child help, that's a great place to reach out, it has a trained counselor that's on the other end, and it's 24 hours a day,” she said.
In fact, the arrests stemmed from anonymous tips received through the Crime Stoppers hotline (505-662-8282) several months ago. Roberts defended the L.E.A.D. operation against some community members who called it a "waste of time and money" on social media. "Well, I don't think any juvenile on drugs isn't worth saving. Even if it's one person, it's worth all the money in the world," he said.