Deming man sentenced to 101 months for machine gun, drug crimes

DEMING, N.M. (KVIA) -- A Deming man admitted to illegal carrying of a machine gun during a drug sale and leading U.S. Border Patrol agents on a high-speed chase, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico. Thursday, it said 20-year-old Gerald Anthony Lopez received a 101-month prison sentence without parole.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, on Feb. 11, 2025, an undercover officer did a controlled cocaine purchase from 20-year-old Gerald Anthony Lopez. During the purchase, Lopez showed a Glock handgun with an extended magazine and a machine gun conversion device.

Lopez offered to sell the gun for $1,300 with the device, also called a switch, or $1,000 without it, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. He also said he could give more firearms, conversion devices and narcotics.

On Feb. 20, Lopez met with an undercover officer and sold cocaine and the Glock with the switch, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

During his plea agreement, Lopez admitted he knowingly had and carried the machine gun in furtherance of his cocaine trafficking, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

In a separate incident, Lopez reportedly fled from a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint in Luna County, New Mexico, after agents tried to do a secondary inspection, officials said.

Lopez admitted he led agents on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds of 140 miles per hour, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

The U.S. Attorney's office said Lopez pleaded guilty to high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, illegal possession of a machine gun and possession of an unregistered firearm.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Lopez is subject to three years of supervised release upon his prison release.