On April 18, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced that Ryan Ellison has been appointed as the new United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to replace former US Attorney Alexander Uballez. Mr. Ellison was sworn in by United States District Judge Margaret Strickland on April 18, 2025.
Elison said this of his appointment in a statement:
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of New Mexico in this role. For however long I serve as United States Attorney, my primary objective will be to keep New Mexicans safe through the vigorous enforcement of Federal law. Under my leadership, the United States Attorney’s Office will do its part to stem the unlawful flow of people and drugs into our country. We will also not lose sight of our responsibility to combat violent crime, gang activity, child predators, and to zealously advocate on behalf of the United States’ civil interests. Together with our federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the United States Attorney’s Office will work tirelessly to make New Mexico a safer place to live, work, raise a family, and run a business. And we will make New Mexico a far less attractive place to commit a crime.”
BIOGRAPHY OF RYAN ELLISON
Ryan Ellison was born and raised in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Mr. Ellison graduated from the University of Arizona with a business degree in 2010. He earned his Juris Doctor and MBA from Texas Tech University in 2013. Since 2018, Mr. Ellison has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico in the Las Cruces Branch Office, most recently as Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney of the Violent and General Crimes Section.
As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Mr. Ellison prosecuted members of the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico (“SNM”) prison gang. To date, more than 175 SNM gang members and associates have been charged with serious federal crimes, making the ongoing SNM prosecution the largest criminal case ever brought in the District of New Mexico. He has also investigated and prosecuted other violent crimes, including VICAR murder, RICO conspiracy, carjacking resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, murder-for-hire, and various firearms, immigration, and national security offenses.
Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Mr. Ellison worked as an Assistant District Attorney in the 47th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Texas and as an associate attorney in private practice.
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Ellison will be responsible for overseeing federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the District of New Mexico. Ellison leads a dedicated team of over 150 prosecutors and support professionals with offices located in Albuquerque and Las Cruces. The District of New Mexico encompasses 33 counties and shares a 180-mile international border with Mexico. It is home to five National Forests, four major military installations, two National Laboratories, 19 pueblos, two Apache tribes, and one-third of the Navajo Nation.
Tessa DuBerry, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, said this:
“[Mr. Ellison] will spend a significant amount of time working in the Las Cruces Branch Office to coordinate the USAO’s prioritization of immigration and border-related offenses.”
DuBerry said the USAO headquarters will remain in Albuquerque.
The appointment of Ellison and prioritization of immigration come as border crossings in New Mexico have plummeted since Trump took office, from around 34,000 people in December to 1,627 in March, a 95% decrease.
Links to quoted or relied upon or quoted news sources are here:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/ryan-ellison-appointed-united-states-attorney-district-new-mexico
https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/new-u-s-attorney-appointed-for-state-of-new-mexico/
https://www.koat.com/article/ryan-ellison-named-us-attorney-for-district-of-new-mexico/64542873
FORMER US ATTORNEY ALEXANDER UBALLEZ
US Attorney Ryan Ellison replaces former US Attorney Alexander Uballez. It was on February 14, Valentines Day, the New Mexico Department of Justice announced U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez had resigned at the request of President Donald Trump. Uballez said he received notice of his firing by the Trump administration in his personal email account on President’s Day, Monday, February 17 in the afternoon. His firing came after he was stripped of his government cellphone and computer access on February 14 without prior notice nor explanation. He alerted the U.S. Department of Justice of the lock out but received “no guidance.” Speaking on the lockout, Uballez said he had “never heard of this happening before.” Uballez is among more than 20 other U.S. Attorneys who were asked to step down and who were appointed by Presidnt Joe Biden.
Uballez singular biggest claim to fame was bringing federal charges against APD officers and Bernalillo County Deputy Sherriffs and the ring leaders involved in the DWI bribery and conspiracy scandal to dismiss hundreds of DWI cases. The Bernalillo County District Attorney has dismissed 272 DWI cases which were brought by APD Officers who accepted bribes and whose credibility became an issue. During the past year, a total of 15 APD Police officers, including a Deputy Commander and Commander of Internal Affairs, have been implicated in the scandal with four APD officers pleading guilty as charged. The former APD officers face up to 130 years in prison.
On April 19, former US Attorney Alexander Uballez announced he is running for Mayor of Albuquerque.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
It is extremely disappointing that newly appointed United State Attorney Ryan Ellison made absolutely no mention if his office will continue with the aggressive prosecution of the Federal DWI Enterprise Bribery Case to dismiss DWI cases and the Largest corruption case in APD’s history. Ellison also failed to make any mention of the 10 year old Department of Justice Federal Court Approved Settlement Agreement (CASA) mandating implementation of 271 reforms of the Albuquerque Police Department and his office’s continued support of the CASA.
If Ellson is truly committed to “keeping New Mexicans safe through the vigorous enforcement of Federal law” as he claims, he would be wise to state clearly that his office will continue with the aggressive prosecution of the DWI Enterprise case prosecuting former law enforcement who have accepted bribes and preyed upon the general public and protect citizens of the largest city in the state from corrupt police officers and corrupt attorneys.