‘Duty to mankind’: New Mexico Department of Public Safety Controlled Substances Unit takes pride in public trust, serving citizens

Deadra Caleb has had a long-standing interest in forensic science. It first caught her attention in her high school chemistry class and then there was a moment in college when she was watching Law & Order and the medical examiner commented about there being a 'high concentration of fluoride' in the person's lungs.

"I thought immediately that the person's head was pushed in the toilet because that's where there's a high concentration of fluoride," said Caleb, a criminal forensic scientist with the Controlled Substances Unit of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety Forensic Laboratory in Santa Fe. "When I made that connection, the person sitting next to me said 'how did you know that?' I said that's where it is found. I don't know why that came to me in that moment, but it helped me realize that I have the ability to think outside the box.

Deadra Caleb, criminal forensic scientist.

Her mother also bought her the book Forensic Science by Jay Siegel, right before she went to grad school which she read twice, admitting she was really drawn to it.

Similarly, her colleague Abigail Mayo's interest also started in high school with a forensic course and continued into college ultimately leading to her current role as a criminal forensic scientist with the Controlled Substances Unit.

Abigail Mayo, criminal forensic scientist.

As a big part of the unit in Santa Fe which consists of six team members, Caleb and Mayo take great pride in making identifications of specific controlled substances, following drug trends throughout the state, and partnering with different public health organizations.

"We work for the criminal justice system and the citizens of the state of New Mexico," said Caleb who has a master's degree in forensic science from Pace University. "Our work is important; and having the trust of the public is something we take pride in. We need to do what we can to keep that trust. It's also a duty to our coworkers and it's a duty to mankind."

And it is that duty, Caleb, Mayo and the unit take very seriously on a daily basis. The Controlled Substances Unit manages a significant workload, processing approximately 200 cases a month, totaling more than 2,500 assignments in 2025. It is also the only unit/lab in the state for the Department of Public Safety to be able to handle cases that involve multiple discipline cases such as a combination of fingerprints, firearms, DNA and controlled substances.

Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry vial getting set into the autosampler tray.

Evidence submitted to the unit comes in multiple forms with the most common being tablets followed by powders and then liquids. While they do see a variance in drugs to include cocaine and heroin, lately fentanyl and methamphetamine have been the most prevalent.

"Everyone thinks meth is blue from Breaking Bad, but that is not true. It is white usually," said Mayo who started with the lab in May 2024 and has a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Northern Arizona University.

Autosampler tower for the Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry.

Fentanyl powder has started to show up more in the lab in particular - even more than the tablet form more recently. As for the tablets, the lab has seen an interesting variance over the years, according to Caleb.

"At first, the tablets looked like blue M30s (oxycodone), but soon manufacturers started making them in different colors and with speckles (appearing like the candy smarties). That's just how they looked on the outside," she said. "Chemically, they are also changing. Instead of only fentanyl, there are now versions like fluorofentanyl and acetylfentanyl. Producers modify the fentanyl molecule by adding different elements such as fluorine, chlorine, or bromine. Because of these constant changes, labs have to keep updating their testing standards to identify the new forms. Every time we encounter a sample, we have to check carefully to make sure we're identifying the correct compound. It definitely keeps us on our toes."

Workstation with Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry vials, color tests, solvents, vial tray, and other consumables for casework.

According to Caleb, this is all to avoid detection and simply because there aren't specific tests for it.

Another way to look at this per Eric Young, the supervisor of the Controlled Substances Unit, is that illegal manufacturers make the tablets look like legitimate drugs by using specific identifiers such as the aforementioned Blue M-30s.

Eric Young, supervisor of the Controlled Substances Unit.

The analytical process begins with presumptive testing (like color tests or checking tablet markings) which are performed to suggest what the tablet, powder or liquid might be and determine its general chemical class (methamphetamine, amphetamines, or opiates). These tests are not specific and only provide preliminary clues. After that, confirmatory instrumental tests are conducted using specialized equipment to accurately identify the substance. Some methods, like pharmaceutical identification, can only be used if the sample is a tablet, not a powder.

Currently, the laboratory uses three primary instrumental techniques to analyze evidence. One technique is Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), which can be used for liquid, powder, and tablet submissions. The other choice is Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), which can be used when the laboratory receives powder submissions. The last option is the Gas Chromatography Infrared Detector (GC-IRD) which combines both techniques.

In every situation, a sample of specific drugs the lab has on file is used as a comparison for confirmation and all results require technical and administrative peer review within the team to ensure the conclusions are correct as a part of the unit's quality control.

Adam Wolff, criminal forensic scientist verifying the balance with certified weights.

Training in the unit typically requires nine months to a year, going through modules of different types of controlled substances which include mock cases, observing other analysts, readings, videos, trainings and graded quizzes. Once the supervisor or technical leader is satisfied with progress, it is time for the student to take the mock trial.

"That part of the training is designed to be worse than your first time testifying," said Caleb. "Now we have attorneys serving as defense and prosecution, so it is quite realistic. It is a great experience. It was so hard I cried, but it is something you have to go through.

Result or spectrum of a sample analyzed via Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy.

"If we go to court and are not deemed an expert witness, that can't fly. We have to be trained here to ensure we can testify as an expert witness. Everything has to be up to date. There's no room for error. We want to make sure we are solid across the board."

For Young, who has degrees in psychology and biochemistry and once processed kilogram bricks of cocaine, there is a heavy focus on quality assurance/quality control.

"I'm very grateful for the entire Chemistry Unit. They're fantastic," he said. "We have exceptional scientists who all have deep respect for each other and the profession."

"This work that we do, is our contribution to the justice system," said Caleb. "We're not on one side. We trying to put the truth out there for everyone to see."

The Controlled Substances Unit at the Forensic Laboratory in Santa Fe. From left to right: Deadra Caleb, Eric Young, Dr. Matthias Strieker, Kim Haag and Abigail Mayo.

Other scientists in the Controlled Substances Unit include: Kim Haag, Dr. Matthias Strieker and Adam Wolff.

Story by New Mexico Department of Public Safety Public Information Officer John Heil. Photos by DPS Media Relations Unit - Curtis Althaus.

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