Two Indian-origin men have pleaded guilty to drug and firearms charges. (Representative)
New York:
Two Indian-origin men have pleaded guilty to narcotics and firearms charges linked to a drug-trafficking racket they ran out of a motel in the US.
Kamal Bhula, 44, of Albuquerque, and Pragneshkumar “Pete” Patel, 36, of Montgomery, Alabama, are among three men charged with maintaining a drug-related compound at a motel in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Bhula and Patel both pleaded guilty to one count each of maintaining a drug-related premises, the New Mexico attorney’s office said in a statement Monday.
The third accused, Jonathan Craft, 36, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and being a person prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
A July 17 release said Bhula and Kraft would remain in custody until sentencing, which has not been set.
A federal grand jury indicted Bhula and Kraft on June 20, 2019. Patel was convicted on November 5, 2019.
According to court records, Patel was the owner of the Best Choice Inn at 7640 Central Avenue SE and the on-site manager from September 2017 until March 2018, when Bhula leased the property from Patel and took over as on-site manager.
Kraft lived and worked at the Best Choice Inn and claimed to be in charge while Bhula was away.
Kraft sold drugs from his room, allowed others to do the same, and allowed individuals to use drugs on the premises. Kraft also illegally possessed a firearm.
Bhula and Patel allowed drug trafficking at the motel and personally tracked and profited from those using controlled substances on the premises.
At sentencing, Bhula, Kraft and Patel each face up to 20 years in prison, the release said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV Staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
featured video of the day
Heavy rains flood houses in Maharashtra district, Air Force called in