Socorro police arrested 21-year-old Lorenzo Delao, of Socorro, on drug charges after executing a search warrant at a home on Annette Street, on Friday, Feb 5.

Delao is charged with one count of trafficking crack cocaine and one count of possession of powder cocaine. No hearing date had been set by El Defensor Chieftain press time on Tuesday.

"He's had some priors, so he may be looking at jail time," said Detective Rocky Fernandez, who executed the search warrant along with Detective Richard Lopez, Officer Gilbert Gonzales and Assistant Police Chief Mike Winders.

Fernandez said the department has been conducting a series of investigations into drug dealing in Socorro in recent weeks, several of which involved controlled buys with money provided by the Region 7 task force.

The criminal complaint indicates that Fernandez had previously carried out a controlled purchase with Delao.

Fernandez said surveillance and investigation led them to Deloa's grandfather's home, where they found the suspect asleep in a bedroom about 11:50 a.m.

The search didn't take long, because Delao directed them to the right front pocket of his pants, which he wasn't wearing at the time. There they found a large plastic bag containing what field tests indicated were 18 rocks of crack cocaine and between 1 and 2 ounces of powder cocaine in rock form. The street value is estimated at $800.

The detective said the substances were sent to the state crime lab for confirmation and Delao was transported to the Socorro County Detention Center, where he remains on a $70,000 cash or surety bond.

Fernandez said more drug dealers could be going to jail soon.

"There are multiple investigations going on right now," he said. "There will be more (arrests) in the future, for sure."

Fernandez said cocaine has been a relatively scarce commodity around town lately.

"The biggest thing has been heroin. I'm surprised to see (cocaine) come back with a little force," he said.

The detective encouraged anyone with information on any kind of drug trafficking in town to call the drug hotline at 575-838-0533. Callers can remain anonymous.

Contact T.S. Last