By Associated Press - Tuesday, December 10, 2019

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - A Roswell man has been sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison for firearms and drug offenses after shooting at police in 2017.

Prosecutors say 32-year-old Jose Manuel Diaz-Montelongo was sentenced Monday to a 207-month term for discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

They say Diaz-Montelongo pleaded guilty to the charges in February 2018.



According to public court documents, Diaz-Montelongo led police officers in Roswell on a high-speed chase in September 2017.

Authorities say Diaz-Montelongo then barricaded himself inside his car for more than two hours.

He fled to a shooting range where he used a berm as cover while shooting at police officers and deputy sheriffs with an assault rifle.

Diaz-Montelongo eventually surrendered to authorities.

Roswell police recovered the assault rifle, two handguns and about 54 grams of methamphetamine from the scene.

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