Gene Lillard said Wednesday. Attorneys Office for Utah / Pexels / DEA | U.S. The Drug Enforcement Agency broke up the drug operation with the help of the Montrose Police Department and the Montrose County Sheriff. Suite 1600 If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. The DEA supplied technology, manpower, and funding, working alongside the Sheriffs Office and Police Department. Colorado Gov. Transporting that across state lines enhances the investigation itself, he said. Montrose strikes drug traffickers again with 1.8m heroin bust DENVER, Colo. (KJCT) - A major ringleader in the Western Slope drug trafficking business has been sentenced to federal prison. "The distribution was probably nationwide.". 64 indicted in Colorado drug trafficking, money laundering bust - KMGH Delivered right as the newspaper goes to print on Tuesday, Wednesdays, Thursday, Friday, and Saturdays. Kissell also is suspected as a special offender with respect to importation. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. A recent increase in drug overdose deaths in Colorado and across the country can be traced to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, according to authorities. 64 people indicted in massive Colorado drug, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), 64 people indicted in massive Colorado drug ring bust, Greeley police shoot, kill man who allegedly shot at them; no officers injured, Missing Indigenous Person Alert canceled after teenage girl found safe, Missing Indigenous Person Alert created for woman last seen in Englewood. DARLINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) Six people were arrested Friday on multiple drug charges after a search in Darlington County, according to the Darlington County Sheriff's Office. He also suspected as a special offender with respect to alleged drug importation, and is accused of being a habitual criminal, per the CBI records. Were hoping that by taking that down, it will have an effect on supply and demand here in Montrose.. This defendant was a ring-leader in a major drug trafficking operation, impacting a small community in Colorado, said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. Montrose Daily Press | Montrose CO var year = today.getFullYear() The cases against the other 10 defendants are pending. "This is one of the bigger (marijuana-growing) operations.". The two warships worked together to intercept a dhow carrying 94kg of heroin and . The stats also demonstrate task force dedication. Arrests made Wednesday in drug bust - The Crested Butte News This is a full story that makes its debut in todays print edition. "Their whole lives revolved around maintaining these houses," said the undercover investigator. DENVER - The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jesse Cervantes of Merced, California, was found guilty by a federal jury for his role in a DENVER -- The United States Attorneys Office for the District of Colorado announces that a federal jury found Christopher Barron of Colorado Springs, guilty of six charges related to guns DENVER The United States Attorneys Office for the District of Colorado announces a federal jury found Thomas OHara II, age 56, of Colorado Springs, guilty of conspiracy to distribute District of Colorado It (meth) not only impacts our community as a large part, but also impacts the entire Western Slope with this kind of volume coming in our area.. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. "They had the houses set up on timers. The investigation started with small street-level buys of drugs in Pueblo. Yet, studies have shown such treatment, followed by regular attendance at 12-step or other fellowship meetings, can result in long-term sobriety for many patients. During the investigation, $1.25 million was seized along 33.7 pounds of cocaine, 126.6 pounds of methamphetamine, 56.2 pounds of heroin, 31 guns and seven vehicles. 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The documents say the he was a leader because he was directing subordinates when and where to deliver narcotics and how to electronically remit money to him in Mexico.. Montrose Resident Sentenced To Serve Over 13 Years In Federal Prison Arrests made Wednesday in drug bust June 9, 2021 3,426 Views Four warrants, three arrests By Mark Reaman Three people were arrested Wednesday morning in Gunnison County on narcotics related charges after a series of drug busts went down at the start of the workday. DENVER (CBS4) - Angelina Maestas of Montrose was sentenced Wednesday to more than 13 years in federal prison. The Montrose County Sheriffs Office has been working and will continue to work proactively to combat the drug issues that are affecting the city and county of Montrose. More than 900 of those deaths were due to synthetic opioids that included fentanyl. Of the 13 defendants indicted in this case, 3, including Maestas, have pleaded guilty. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. The pair is suspected on suspicion of drug transportation and weapons offenses. The defendants are identified as: Daniel Gastelo-Ochoa, 32, Denver; Carlos Quijano-Ruiz, 52, Montrose; Rafael Jaramillo-Hernandez, 32, Montrose; Catyria Gisela Lopez-Gomez, 41, Fort Collins; Margarita Jaquelin Cruz-Gomez, 35, Montrose; Dalilah Suarez-Lopez, 23, Fort Collins; and Carlos Aurelio Beltran-Gonzalez, 32, Montrose. According to court documents, including the stipulated facts contained in the defendants plea agreements,Maestas conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of a mixture of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and less than 100 grams of heroin. Calls about suspicious activity in a Montrose neighborhood set off a chain of events that led to multiple agencies uncovering and disrupting a possible drug pipeline between here and California. U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello pronounced the sentences. This was a lengthy prosecution that involved 13 defendants. Official websites use .gov A tip from a suspicious Montrose resident in March about strange activity at a home in her neighborhood triggered an undercover police investigation that broke up a major narcotics trafficking ring, Houston police said today. 13 indicted by federal grand jury in Montrose drug bust 11 arrested in drug bust, updates. Lopez-Gomez would often transfer the funds through Dinero Rapido, a business located in Montrose, Colorado. They do excellent work and I think this shows what kind of work they do. The local task force is made up of police and Montrose County Sheriffs officers, plus an assistant. District of Colorado | Montrose Resident Sentenced To More Than Twelve Copyright 2020 KJCT. Close to $1 million has been seized as part of the investigation. Seven additional defendants charged in Western, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Seven additional defendants charged in Western Slope drug ring bust, 64 people indicted in massive Colorado drug ring bust, Colorado attorney who smuggled drugs into jail for client suspended for 2 years, Another batch of fentanyl-tainted drugs being sold on the street, Boulder County Health warns, Greeley police shoot, kill man who allegedly shot at them; no officers injured, Missing Indigenous Person Alert canceled after teenage girl found safe, Missing Indigenous Person Alert created for woman last seen in Englewood. Each has been charged with felony marijuana possession. var today = new Date() I have Saint Judas tattooed and has never let my hand go. That berretta never fails neither do my people. Suspected cocaine ring busted in Rifle | PostIndependent.com (credit: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images). Montrose resident and ringleader of major drug trafficking operation on Western Slope sentenced to prison, He also had a drug trade themed ballad written about him, (U.S. PUBLISHED: July 6, 2022 at 4:08 p.m. | UPDATED: July 6, 2022 at 5:01 p.m. State and federal authorities confiscated 200,000 fentanyl pills, 9.4 pounds of . Colorado communities and families have suffered greatly from the opioid epidemicand that impact is getting worse during this pandemic. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - (KREX) There were drug busts at several homes in Mesa County as the Sheriff's office assisted the Drug Enforcement Agency in taking down illegal grow operations. On Thursday, the Pueblo Police Department announced two people were still wanted out of Pueblo in the case. Montrose County marijuana bust yields 1,500 pounds worth estimated $4.5 According to the sentencing agreement, Briceno-Quijano is also the subject of a drug trade themed narrative ballad known as a narcocorrido, a subgenre of the regional Mexican narrative ballad genre. Police said they watched the men for several months as they shuttled between the houses that had been turned into marijuana farms. The press release from the U.S. Attorney General's Office in Denver did not confirm if the person identified in Maestas's Facebook post indeed worked as an informant. It should reap some huge benefits for the neighborhood as the result of this.. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years. 13 people in Montrose County were indicted on Tuesday following a year-long drug trafficking investigation. Attorneys Office for Utah / Pexels / DEA), Mesa County Sheriffs Office responds to shooting, Congresswoman Boeberts Trust the Science bill passes House committee, Former Tina Peters ally Sandra Brown jailed, Community mural: hundreds of helping hands, Murray scores 34, Nuggets beat Suns 125-107 in Game 1, Perdomo, Walker homer in D-backs 11-4 win over Rockies, Defending champ Avs force Game 7 with 4-1 win over Kraken. The pair is suspected on suspicion of drug transportation and weapons offenses. Those indicted include; According to the indictment, from Jan 1, 2019, until Dec 18, 2019, the thirteen defendants conspired with each other to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of a mixture of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and less than 100 grams of heroin. Also El Chon and El Pillo are my beloved sons too. Seven additional defendants charged in Western Slope drug ring bust In the past 20 years in Colorado, nearly 5,000 Coloradans died from a prescription opioid overdose, according to a news release. Booking records showed Lafond with a $2 million bond and Kissell with a $100,000 bond. Over the following months, the investigation resulted in the arrests of five people and the seizure of more than 3,100 marijuana plants, investigators said. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Arvada police and the Adams County District Attorney Office worked with Colorado Attorney Generals Office in the case which began in March of 2019, said Attorney General Phil Weiser in a Friday virtual news conference. "That's a major hit. Editors note: The Montrose Daily Press broke this story online Wednesday. The local authorities and task force began receiving information several months ago about suspicious activity in a Montrose neighborhood, Montrose Police Chief Tom Chinn said, though he declined to identify the location. Lafond and Kissell were arrested on suspicion of offenses related to drug transportation and held at the Mesa County Jail. The song, titled El de la Super Duty, details Briceno-Quijanos life and many exploits, and according to court documents, contains a surprising amount of truth to both his life and is illicit activities. 303-454-0243 direct; 303-489-2047 cell. And that is how Los Alamons de la Sierra sound, relatives, with real pull, man. Keeler: Chris Paul got dirty. This coordinated effort led to the simultaneous arrest of all thirteen people in various parts of Montrose on Tuesday. Montrose resident's tip led to major drug bust Kevin Durant moped. And also over in Utah I was doing freight after freight. Have any questions? He then studied journalism in graduate school and began his career in the news business. It's official: Jamal Murray, Nuggets are in Phoenix's heads now. The warrants are the result of controlled purchases of narcotics made in Wyoming County by the Troop P Vice/Narcotic Unit and District Attorney's Office, police said. Montrose, Colorado Alcohol Rehab Centers and Drug Centers. Devin Booker sulked. An official website of the United States government. Seizure of 200,000 fentanyl pills declared one of largest ever in Colorado For our drug task force to be able to get the information they did and generate the interests of the DEA, in my opinion is very tremendous, Chinn said. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. The Montrose Daily Press is your community news provider, published five days. It's official: Jamal Murray, Nuggets are in Phoenix's heads now. Four Arrested in Delta Drug Bust - WesternSlopeNow.com DENVER, Colo. (KJCT) - A major ringleader in the Western Slope drug trafficking business has been sentenced to federal prison. The investigation uncovered a money-laundering operation that trafficked drug proceeds through a variety of wire transfers and bulk cash transports to Mexico, authorities said. I did not like school, and very young I left from home from my parents and went to Colorado, it is where all this started. Arrests affidavits were not immediately available to the Montrose Daily Press. 6 arrested on multiple drug charges in Darlington County "The primary distribution cell was linked to the PAYAN DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION (DTO) based in Mexico. 13 people in Montrose County were indicted on Tuesday following a year-long drug trafficking investigation. 64 people indicted in massive Colorado drug ring bust Thats a major hit. Police Arrest William Johns After Finding Heroin, Meth, Cocaine, Guns The task force investigation grew to encompass more and more agencies; as more information was obtained, it became obvious that more locations were involved, including Utah, Nevada and California, Dunlap said. We started checking into this. Let us know what's going on! Members of the Delta Police Department, Delta County Sheriff's Office and Montrose County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant at 960 Crawford Avenue on May 18. Police said those arrested . var today = new Date() Jeff Dorschner Major Drug Bust at Multiple Homes in Mesa County Court documents state that Briceno-Quijano was the leader of the operation due to his relationship to his underlings. On Thursday, the Pueblo Police Department . Glenn is married and has a daughter in college. "It was like a 9-to-5 job for them.". They were able to leave them basically unattended for long periods of time," said the undercover officer. Briceno-Quijanos drug trafficking involved at least 12 other people, many of whom are still pending sentencing. Drug bust nets 15 pounds of cocaine, 5 arrests After the sale was made, Briceno-Quijano would receive payment via a wire transfer of funds from Colorado to Mexico, where he spent most of his time. Keeler: Chris Paul got dirty. $8 million worth of heroin seized in Pueblo in one of the - KKTV 5 indicted on meth trafficking charges; allegedly moved 'pounds' of According to GJPD . Drug bust ripples through town | News | telluridenews.com Pueblo police announced Thursday the seizure of $8 . Here, La Tapatia is taped off. Invalid password or account does not exist. 1801 California Street 800 talking about this. Related court documents can be found onPACERby searching for Case Numbers 19-cr-535 and 20-cr-0166. Adam Livermore, Jonas Najar Jr., and Angela Schmid have been indicted by a grand jury for the distribution of methamphetamine, possession of firearms by prohibited persons, as well as conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. $1m drug bust in the Arabian sea: HMS Montrose - Medium If convicted, defendants face a minimum of 10 years up to life in federal prison on the drug charges. 4 arrested in Mesa County drug busts; authorities seize 600 pounds of Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) Four people have been arrested following a major drug bust operation on the Western Slope, the Grand Junction Police Department said Thursday. Were likely to see more of these sorts of arrests but probably not to this scale. DENVER - Sixty-four people have been charged in Colorado for their alleged involvement in what officials called an international trafficking and money laundering ring that dealt with fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin and firearms, according to law enforcement officials. 11 arrested in drug bust, updates | WesternSlopeNow.com Thirteen defendants have been indicted by a federal grand jury with drug distribution charges following a year-long investigation done by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Montrose County Sheriff's Office, and the Montrose Police Department. Seven additional suspects have been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into a drug and money laundering ring on the Western Slope, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Possibly the biggest drug bust in state history -- and it happened right here in southern Colorado. The lyrics detail both his exploits and his earlier life, tracing his childhood and young adulthood until he met the trafficker who provided his first drug El Guero.. Drug Overdoses in Colorado: A Statewide Challenge Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Investigators part of the North Metro Task. "Further intelligence gathered from this investigation identified three organizational distribution branches," The City of Pueblo stated in a release. Law enforcement told us that this really began with the DEAs recognition of Montroses methamphetamine problem two years ago. He led a platoon of cavalry troopers in combat during the Gulf War. A state, federal and local investigation has busted a Colorado drug and money laundering ring with ties to Mexico and 64 people have been indicted by a state grand jury. Glenn spent about six years in the Army - both as an enlisted soldier and officer. Kissell has previous arrests for drug possession and forgery of a record filed with a public official, according to those records. The HIDTA Southern Colorado Drug Task-Force started the investigation and was made up of members from the Drug Enforcement Administration Colorado Springs Resident Office, Pueblo Police Department, Pueblo County Sheriffs Office, El Paso County Sheriffs Office, Colorado Springs Police Department, Teller County Sherriffs Office, Colorado State Patrol, and the Department of Homeland Security. He has been charged with possession with intent to distribute and transporting drugs into the. A months-long investigation in Colorado Springs ended with the arrest of William Johns on Aug. 4. . Maestas was sentenced to 130 months for the drug crimes, and 30 months for the witness, victim or informant tampering, with both sentences to run consecutive. The only other defendant who has so far been sentenced, Joseph Davis, was ordered to serve 151 months in federal prison. Since 2015, the task force has handled more than 100 cases and seized nearly 30 pounds of meth, along with more than 30 ounces of cocaine, 40 grams of heroin, 1,250 marijuana plants and 2,525 pounds of dried marijuana, as well as firearms and one vehicle used in the commission of these crimes. This included material that identified at least one co-conspirator who Maestas alleged cooperated with police. (Submitted photo/Montrose Police Chief Tom Chinn), By Katharhynn Heidelberg (Statistics) are a way of letting our citizens know that controlled substances within Montrose County is a top priority of ours, Dunlap said. From Oct. 22, 2019, to Feb. 11, 2021, the Colorado Statewide Grand Jury returned indictments which included multiple alleged violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act and the Colorado Controlled Substances Act, Weiser said. It was excellent work between all agencies combined and especially for our drug task force, Sheriff Rick Dunlap said. In my opinion, this one probably has more potential to affect more people.. Twelve defendants have been indicted on COCCA charges. Maestas received a 30-month sentence for the witness tampering in addition to the 130-month sentence handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello for the drug trafficking. Major drug bust in Colorado as authorities uncover possible 'drug Kieran Nicholson, who has been with The Denver Post since 1986, covers breaking news. All 13 defendants were Montrose Residents. The Denver Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration joined in this announcement. Omar Briceno-Quijano, a 31-year-old resident of Montrose,. This effort is an excellent example of what we accomplish through ongoing collaboration in our state.. On Tuesday, the Center Police Department shared an update. IRS-CI, DEA Rocky Mountain Division-Montrose Post of Duty, the Montrose Police Department, the Montrose County Sheriffs Office, and the Seventh Judicial District Drug Task Force, and the United States Marshals Service investigated this case. A locked padlock Its very good.. Wick Communications, Items law enforcement seized from the bust. While about 22.5 million Americans misuse illicit drugs or alcohol, only a small number of those people receive treatment. A state, federal and local investigation has busted a Colorado drug and money laundering ring with ties to Mexico and 64 people have been indicted by a state grand jury. The traffickers probably netted at least $1.5 million per year before their scheme was closed down, police said. State police arrest 21 people in Wyoming County on drug trafficking Close to $1 million has. WANTED: 2 people tied to massive drug bust operation in Colorado, 40 In addition to the drug conspiracy charge, Quijano-Ruiz, Jaramillo-Hernandez, Lopez-Gomez, Cruz-Gomez, Suarez-Lopez and Beltran-Gonzalez allegedly conspired with each other, and other defendants previously charged, to conduct and attempt to conduct financial transactions involving the proceeds of illegal drug distribution, the release said.