Published on: November 21, 2025, at 04:37h.
Updated on: November 21, 2025, at 04:37h.
- Undercover officer facilitated fentanyl pill transaction at tribal casino.
- Holmes arrived with 10,000 pills securely packaged in vacuum bags.
- Multi-agency operation seized cash, pills, and confirmed suspect identity.
An individual from Arizona was apprehended at the Isleta Resort and Casino in New Mexico in October for attempting to sell ten “boats” of “beans”—which translates to 10,000 fentanyl pills—during a sting operation conducted by tribal police in collaboration with federal and state authorities.
In September 2025, a detective from the Isleta Police Department (IPD) along with other investigators uncovered a Facebook account belonging to a suspected drug dealer named “Minkx Apesquad.”
They were able to link the account to Daron Andrey Holmes Jr. after he shared photos and other identifiable content online, according to a complaint filed in the US District Court for the District of New Mexico.
Bean Counter
The undercover IPD officer contacted the account directly, asking, “Ayy yooo, you gonna b coming thru the 505 anytime soon? I need some dat good [bean emoji].”
In this context, “beans” refers to fentanyl pills, as indicated in the complaint.
On October 29, the undercover officer received a prompt response from the “Minkx Apesquad” account: “Hit me asap.” Following this, they exchanged phone numbers.
The agent maintained communication with the individual presumed to be Holmes throughout the day, negotiating a price of $10,000 for ten “boats.”
The term “boats” is used informally to denote bags containing roughly 1,000 fentanyl pills each.
Holmes arranged to meet in the parking area of the Isleta Resort and Casino within the Pueblo of Isleta, located in Bernalillo County, NM, as per the complaint. The undercover agent instructed him to park alongside their vehicle.
This prompted various law enforcement agencies to establish surveillance around the casino, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the US Marshals Service (USMS), New Mexico State Police (NMSP), and the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities identified Holmes’ vehicle as a black Kia. At around 6:32 p.m., officers observed a black Kia, bearing an Arizona license plate, approach the designated meeting location. The undercover agent confirmed that the driver matched the description of their contact.
Spill the Beans
Shortly after parking next to the undercover vehicle, Holmes exited the car, made eye contact with a nearby officer, and attempted to flee. Agents intervened and arrested him. Although Holmes was taken to the ground during the arrest, he did not sustain any injuries.
The search of Holmes yielded a significant amount of cash on his person. Additional cash was found in his vehicle, along with multiple vacuum-sealed packets in the trunk containing blue pills marked “M-30”—a total of 4,102 grams of fentanyl were seized, according to court documents.
A federal jury in Albuquerque has charged Holmes with one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
If found guilty, he could face a lifetime prison sentence, as stated by the US Attorney’s Office. A trial date has yet to be scheduled.