Login

Gallup Sun

Thursday, Mar 28th

Last update12:57:39 AM GMT

You are here: News Public Safety Area heroin dealer arrested

Area heroin dealer arrested

E-mail Print PDF

The Gallup Police Department Drug and Narcotics Task Force and Detective Division ended an undercover investigation of an area drug dealer May 8 after executing a search warrant at 407 W. Green Street.

Lt. Billy Padavich said David Grijalva was charged with possession with the intent to traffic heroin and possession with the intent to traffic methamphetamine. He was also charged with drug paraphernalia.

“Basically, what started this was two-month investigation where some controlled buys were done out of his house to where we were able to apply for a search warrant for Mr. Grijalva and the residence,” Padavich said.

Grijalva was arrested for trafficking heroin (first degree felony), possession of methamphetamine (second degree felony), and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Shortly after 5 pm, officers executed the search warrant when Grijalva was spotted standing near a green city trashcan. He walked toward a blue Dodge Caravan that belonged to Rashid and Melissa Ahmad.

Grijalva was observed placing a grocery bag inside the van. Drug task force agents detained Grijalva and searched him.

They discovered $728 in his wallet. They also found a purple coin pouch in his left front pocket, which contained Ziploc bags containing a black and brown chunky tar-like substance and another bag with a glass shard-like substance.

“He’s been arrested before for similar charges as a drug trafficker,” Padavich said.

The arrest netted 24.6 grams of methamphetamine and 22.5 grams of heroin. The drugs were tested with a NARTEC filed test kit and yielded positive results.

Paraphernalia in the form of syringes, used needles, a digital scale, tweezers, a metal spoon, a knife, scissors, razor blades and tourniquets were also recovered.

As of May 10, Grijalva is being held at the McKinley County Adult Detention Center on an $8,000 cash or surety bond.

He was booked for two counts of trafficking a controlled substance, and a possession charge.

By Rick Abasta
Sun Correspondent