TEXAS — An Amarillo man who was wanted on a federal warrant is facing new federal drug charges after leading police on a vehicle and foot chase that ended with his arrest.
According to court documents, an Amarillo Police Department officer spotted a vehicle on May 31 matching the description associated with Brandon Cruz Perales, 44, who was wanted for violating the terms of his supervised release from federal prison.
When the officer attempted a traffic stop, investigators said Perales accelerated and fled. The pursuit ended when his vehicle crashed into the front yard of a home and became disabled. Perales then fled on foot but was captured after a brief chase through a neighborhood.
Authorities said a search of the vehicle uncovered a backpack hidden in the engine compartment containing approximately 87 grams of methamphetamine and 13 grams of cocaine. Officers also found several pills that Perales later identified as hydrocodone.
After his arrest, Perales was interviewed by a Drug Enforcement Administration task force officer and admitted he fled because he knew he was wanted on a federal warrant. Court records state he told investigators he began using drugs after his release from prison in February and started selling methamphetamine in April. He reportedly said the cocaine was for personal use.
Perales was originally sentenced in 2017 to 120 months in federal prison for methamphetamine distribution after investigators identified him as the primary supplier in an undercover drug operation.
Federal records show he was released from prison on Feb. 24 and began a five-year term of supervised release. However, probation officials said he stopped reporting shortly after his initial intake appointment and failed to comply with supervision requirements. A drug test in April allegedly returned positive for methamphetamine.
Federal prosecutors have filed a motion to revoke his supervised release in addition to the new federal drug charge. If the supervised release is revoked, Perales could face additional prison time and a longer period of supervision.
Perales remains in custody at the Randall County Jail on a federal hold.
