The case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI, Hatch Police Department, Doña Ana County Sheriffs Office and New Mexico State Police, with assistance from the Third Judicial District Attorneys Office. The following agencies also assisted in the investigation: Albuquerque and El Paso offices of the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol, Las Cruces Police Department, El Paso, Texas, County Sheriffs Office and El Paso Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron O. Jordan and Marisa A. Ong of the U.S. Attorneys Las Cruces Branch Office are prosecuting the case as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets the worst of the worst offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorneys Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexicos District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their felony conviction records for federal prosecution with the goal of removing violent, repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.