Las Cruces Man, 59, Booked on Federal Transfer for Drug and Firearm Charges

Allegedly... David De La Paz, a 59-year-old resident of Las Cruces, was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center on Aug. 13, 2026. Registered under booking number 2600006447, he is being held without bond on a felony charge listed as a federal transfer. The arrest was processed through the local facility to facilitate federal custody requirements. According to news reports and statements from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, De La Paz was charged in connection with a federal investigation into drug trafficking and firearms. KVIA reported that the case involves allegations tied to a larger trafficking operation, leading to the formal federal charges filed against him. The specific details of the indictment remain part of the ongoing federal court proceedings. The charges are allegations, and De La Paz is presumed innocent unless and until a court finds otherwise.