(The Center Square) – After half a day of deliberation, a federal jury returned eight guilty verdicts against Robert “Fat Head” Padilla, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.
Padilla received convictions for the following crimes, according to the office, “one count each of violent crimes in aid of racketeering (murder), retaliating against a witness, killing while engaged in drug trafficking, using, carrying and brandishing a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, discharging said firearms and causing death, witness tampering, conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute buprenorphine, and possession of contraband in prison.”
A federal grand jury issued a Third Superseding Indictment against Padilla and his co-conspirator Gary Coca, accusing them of eight felony offenses this past April.
From September 2018 to September 2019, Padilla allegedly trafficked cocaine, cocaine base, heroin, and fentanyl, the office said. Additionally, he killed “L.L.,” a former federal witness in Las Vegas, New Mexico, in July 2019. He did this to retaliate against “L.L.” for being a federal witness. Padilla also used physical force against another federal witness in November 2020 to prevent the person from providing law enforcement with information about “L.L.’s” murder.
Plus, on September 6, 2022, Padilla possessed 329 strips of suboxone that he wanted to distribute while imprisoned at the Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe.
“Witnesses are the eyes and ears of the justice system. They are the embodiment of the fact that justice belongs to all of us, and we all play a role in keeping our communities safe.,” U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez said. “But some think that they can use violence to silence justice. Attacking a witness is more than an assault on a person, it is an assault on the values that hold our society together. But no one person is bigger than us together. Local, state, and federal law enforcement will find and convict those who threaten citizens who stood up for our community.”
Pending sentencing, Padilla will stay in custody. His sentencing has not yet been scheduled. He faces a maximum of life in prison.
