Police raided multiple locations across town on Wednesday morning, making five arrests here and in Montrose in a drug investigation that spanned months and involved federal and local law enforcement agencies. "It was like a 9-to-5 job for them.". 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. 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. 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. Receive the digital, interactive PDF of the newspaper in your inbox. Lafond is suspected of distribution/manufacture/intent to distribute drugs; drug possession; weapons offenses and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Colorado Bureau of Investigation records. His criminal record in Colorado that is contained in the CBI records shows arrests for marijuana cultivation, parole violation, assault, vehicular eluding and drugs. On Thursday, the Pueblo Police Department announced two people were still wanted out of Pueblo in the case. 11 arrested in drug bust, updates | WesternSlopeNow.com With the help of Luisitio everything is excellent. 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. Horse races, is what I like, also to give rides to pretty women and drinking beer and liquor. "This substantial sentence is an appropriate one for someone that caused tremendous damage to a small Colorado community and then tried to undermine the judicial process by intimidating a witness," said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. The marijuana plants could be harvested each month, thanks to the hydroponics equipment that accelerated their growth, police said. 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We started checking into this. Performance meets portability with Apple's 2023 MacBook Pro. "They had the houses set up on timers. Pueblo police announced Thursday the seizure of $8 . Drug bust ripples through town | News | telluridenews.com I have Saint Judas tattooed and has never let my hand go. 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. Briceno-Quijanos drug trafficking involved at least 12 other people, many of whom are still pending sentencing. 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 2023 NFL Draft runs April 2729 live from Kansas City, Missouri. Generator vs power station: Which one is right for you? 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Finding Drug and Alcohol Rehab in Montrose, Colorado Following her prison sentence, Maestas was ordered to serve 5 years on supervised release. 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. 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. 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.. On Tuesday, the Center Police Department shared an update. The defendants, who appeared in U.S. District Court in Denver this past week, face federal drug charges for the alleged distribution of methamphetamine and heroin, a news release said. Get a 42-inch oscillating fan for 15% off with this deal. 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. 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.. Police obtained a search warrant and raided the house in the 1000 block of Fairview on March 2. Both are pictured at the top of this article. She is accused of distribution/manufacture/intent to distribute drugs, possession of a weapon by a previous offender, drug and drug paraphernalia possession and of violating probation in another case, per the CBI records. "We think the majority of this stuff was probably leaving Houston," the undercover investigator said. Montrose Daily Press Chinn, Dunlap and Lillard praised the local task force, DEA, Western Slope Task Force and other agencies. Kieran Nicholson, who has been with The Denver Post since 1986, covers breaking news. Gene Lillard said Wednesday. More than 900 of those deaths were due to synthetic opioids that included fentanyl. / CBS Colorado. For the united Villages. Were hoping that by taking that down, it will have an effect on supply and demand here in Montrose.. WANTED: 2 people tied to massive drug bust operation in Colorado, 40 DENVER United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that Angelina Maestas, of Montrose, Colorado, was sentenced yesterday to serve a total of 160 months (over 13 years) in federal prison for possession and distribution of methamphetamine and heroin as well as witness, victim or informant tampering. 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. He led a platoon of cavalry troopers in combat during the Gulf War. This particular investigation also came to include the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Western Slope Drug Task Force and other area law enforcement agencies, including the Mesa County Sheriffs Office, which effected the Jan. 26 arrests. Copyright 1998- He began this criminal activity shortly after being released on parole in May 2019, after serving a portion of a 10 year state prison sentence for previous drug distribution. I am going up and down in some relatives house, when one day El Guero came by and asked me to take a freight from Phoenix to Colorado, that day is when my luck changed. Following his honorable discharge, Glenn attended the University of Texas at Arlington where he received a BA in History and a commission as a lieutenant in the Army. The amount of drug trafficking that we are experiencing in the County of Montrose has been on the increase over the last decade. Lock The suspected meth was located in a backpack in the trunk, along with an AR15-style rifle that was loaded. A lock ( A locked padlock During the course of the money laundering conspiracy, Briceno-Quijano would supply funds to his co-defendant Catyria Lopez-Gomez and several other involved persons which Briceno-Quijano had collected. While about 22.5 million Americans misuse illicit drugs or alcohol, only a small number of those people receive treatment. This defendant was a ring-leader in a major drug trafficking operation, impacting a small community in Colorado, said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. DENVER (CBS4) - Angelina Maestas of Montrose was sentenced Wednesday to more than 13 years in federal prison. Arrests made Wednesday in drug bust - The Crested Butte News The cases against the other 10 defendants are pending. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - The Western Colorado Drug Task force seized seven pounds of heroine, six ounces of cocaine, and $10,000 in cash. 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. She and a dozen others were indicted in January for trafficking methamphetamine and heroin in the area. 11 arrested in drug bust, updates. Law enforcement told us that this really began with the DEAs recognition of Montroses methamphetamine problem two years ago. A recent increase in drug overdose deaths in Colorado and across the country can be traced to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, according to authorities. If convicted, defendants face a minimum of 10 years up to life in federal prison on the drug charges. Possibly the biggest drug bust in state history -- and it happened right here in southern Colorado. Drug bust nets 15 pounds of cocaine, 5 arrests Kissell also is suspected as a special offender with respect to importation. "The distribution was probably nationwide.". They were able to leave them basically unattended for long periods of time," said the undercover officer. Published: Nov. 2, 2017 at 12:18 PM PDT. Glenn spent about six years in the Army - both as an enlisted soldier and officer. Law. var today = new Date() They're facing counts for the distribution of meth and heroin along with other charges. 13 indicted by federal grand jury in Montrose drug bust Seizure of 200,000 fentanyl pills declared one of largest ever in Colorado We look forward to continuing the prosecutions in the case and ensuring that this drug ring is stomped out permanently., The DEA applauds the sentencing of Maestas, said Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter of the DEA Denver Field Division. British and French frigates HMS Montrose and FS Jean Bart have bagged $1m of drugs in a bust in the Arabian Sea. If you see a Super Duty is because I am on the way. Montrose County marijuana bust yields 1,500 pounds worth estimated $4.5 Vehicles associated with marijuana grows discovered in the Dolores River Canyon, rural Montrose County, were linked to the suspects, according to the criminal complaint against Garcia and. 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. (Statistics) are a way of letting our citizens know that controlled substances within Montrose County is a top priority of ours, Dunlap said. Drug use has spiked during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. All rights reserved. One-in-four of the pills sold in Colorado contain what could be a lethal dose of Fentanyl. The investigation, initiated and steadily pursued by the 7th Judicial Drug Task Force, resulted in a Jan. 26 traffic stop on Interstate 70 and the arrests of Robert Lafond and Alicia Kissell plus the recovery of 10 pounds of methamphetamine and weapons. var today = new Date() Lafond and Kissell were arrested on suspicion of offenses related to drug transportation and held at the Mesa County Jail. An official website of the United States government. Thats a lot of methamphetamine that was coming into this area, Montrose Police Cmdr. You have permission to edit this article. ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - The Adams County Sheriff's Office says four people were arrested on Wednesday in a large-scale drugs and firearms bust. Whenever we take drugs off of our streets, we make our community a safer place in which to live, said Adams County District Attorney Brian Mason. According to GJPD . The investigation used 47 Colorado state wire intercepts, search warrants on vehicles and residences, and undercover and confidential source drug purchases. Drug operation leads to three arrests in Montrose 64 people indicted in massive Colorado drug ring bust Drug investigation ends with 5 arrested | News | telluridenews.com (credit: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images). A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Some are calling one of the largest ever in Western Colorado. (Submitted photo/Montrose Police Chief Tom Chinn), By Katharhynn Heidelberg DENVER, Colo. (KJCT) - A major ringleader in the Western Slope drug trafficking business has been sentenced to federal prison. "Their whole lives revolved around maintaining these houses," said the undercover investigator. All of a sudden over the years, I established by store. Adan Carillo-Murillo, a 22-year-old man, was arrested and jailed at the Mesa County Detention Facility. Colorado communities and families have suffered greatly from the opioid epidemicand that impact is getting worse during this pandemic. The Drug Enforcement Agency broke up the drug operation with the help of the Montrose Police Department and the Montrose County Sheriff. Authorities announced a massive drug bust operation that was years in the making out of Colorado. This was a lengthy prosecution that involved 13 defendants. And also over in Utah I was doing freight after freight. 64 indicted in Colorado drug trafficking, money laundering bust - KMGH The only other defendant who has so far been sentenced, Joseph Davis, was ordered to serve 151 months in federal prison. Keeler: Chris Paul got dirty. Drug cells in Colorado were operating in the Denver area, including Adams County, and in Colorado Springs. Montrose resident's tip led to major drug bust. Soon after being released on parole in 2019, Davis began distributing methamphetamine from his Montrose residence, along with his wife and co-defendant, Naomi Vaughn. 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. With my moms blessing and my old mans advice, backed up by my friend Y who is my friend. The criminal investigation was conducted by the Denver Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Montrose County Sheriffs Office, and the Montrose Police Department, along with staff from the 7th Judicial District Attorneys Office. Jeff Dorschner U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Colorado Mike Glenn grew up in the Navy but enlisted in the Army after graduating from high school in Rockwall, Texas. 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. this drug arrest has had more impact on people here in Montrose than just about any other I can remember.. Booking records showed Lafond with a $2 million bond and Kissell with a $100,000 bond. "We look forward to continuing the prosecutions in the case and ensuring that this drug ring is stomped out permanently.". The investigation spanned nine months. The pair is suspected on suspicion of drug transportation and weapons offenses. Montrose sheriff praises efforts of all agencies, Drug task force did a good job, police chief says. 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Were told that those indicted have ties to the cartel and are predicted to just be the tip of the iceberg. When you arrest high profile offenders, you should see a reduction in crime overall in your community, says Blaine Hall, Chief of Police for the City of Montrose. By Tony Keith. Lopez-Gomez would often transfer the funds through Dinero Rapido, a business located in Montrose, Colorado. Investigators tracked the group through the equipment used to grow the plants and "good, old-fashioned police work," the undercover officer said. U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Colorado, Defendant Angelina Maestas is 1 of 13 defendants charged in large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy in Montrose, Montrose Resident Sentenced To Serve Over 13 Years In Federal Prison For Possession and Distribution of Methamphetamine and Heroin as well as Witness Intimidation, California Man Found Guilty for Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy, Colorado Springs Man Convicted by Federal Jury for Gun and Drug Crimes, Colorado Springs Man Convicted of Drug Trafficking. [Photo by Doug Berry] It should reap some huge benefits for the neighborhood as the result of this.. The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. The charges were announced Friday by Colorado Attorney General Phil . First published on November 22, 2020 / 8:39 PM. Major drug bust in Colorado as authorities uncover possible 'drug Spokesman, Public Affairs Officer The dangerous pills sell for about $25 on the streets. Delivered right as the newspaper goes to print on Tuesday, Wednesdays, Thursday, Friday, and Saturdays. April 2, 2018 Behavioral Health Substance Use More Coloradans have been dying of drug overdoses each year for nearly a decade. That's. 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. And that is how Los Alamons de la Sierra sound, relatives, with real pull, man. The investigation started in February of 2017 and resulted in the indictment and/or arrests of 65 people by the Colorado Attorney General's Office and by the Pueblo County district attorney. It's official: Jamal Murray, Nuggets are in Phoenix's heads now. Its very good.. That number is rising sharply, from 49 deaths in 2016 to 220 in 2019, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Kissell has previous arrests for drug possession and forgery of a record filed with a public official, according to those records. Within Colorado, the organization was distributing throughout the entire I-25 corridor, from Trinidad to Denver.". Thats why addressing this crisis is a top priority for our office, Weiser said. 13 people in Montrose County were indicted on Tuesday following a year-long drug trafficking investigation. 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 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. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years. File photo of the Facebook logo. Major Drug Bust at Multiple Homes in Mesa County My parents are from Los Mochis, and I am proud to say it. A copy of this press release is located on the website of theU.S. Attorneys Officefor the District of Colorado. Kevin Durant moped. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. The courier was typically Luis Ibarra-Tadeo, one of his co-defendants, though he occasionally used others. This address has come to our attention probably in the last three to six months (and) has become a huge burden on our resources, he said. In my opinion, this one probably has more potential to affect more people.. One arrested in I-70 drug bust - nbc11news.com They said they discovered a sophisticated marijuana-growing operation and more than 600 plants. November 22, 2020 / 8:39 PM Montrose strikes drug traffickers again with 1.8m heroin bust That berretta never fails neither do my people. Thursday, November 19, 2020 Montrose Resident Sentenced To Serve Over 13 Years In Federal Prison For Possession and Distribution of Methamphetamine and Heroin as well as Witness Intimidation Defendant Angelina Maestas is 1 of 13 defendants charged in large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy in Montrose Montrose Resident Sentenced To Serve Over 13 Years In Federal Prison Colorado Gov. This effort is an excellent example of what we accomplish through ongoing collaboration in our state.. Main Office: Oct 1, 2009 Updated Dec 19, 2014. Montrose resident and ringleader of major drug trafficking operation on This was a big drug bust and it should have a trickle-down effect to a lot of people here in town, Chinn said. Glenn is married and has a daughter in college. Lafond and Kissell were stopped on the interstate while driving a 2001 Buick Century for which task force agents and their partner agencies had obtained a search warrant. A months-long investigation in Colorado Springs ended with the arrest of William Johns on Aug. 4. .