Colorado communities and families have suffered greatly from the opioid epidemicand that impact is getting worse during this pandemic. 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. Jared Polis signs four gun control bills into law, Ex-officer to serve jail, probation in attempted unlawful sexual contact, Shooting for nationals: Olathe archers finish out season, Rides worth the drive: guide to mountain biking in the Grand Valley, Woman faces arraignment in daughter's shooting, Peaview: Picking at the Pea returns for stores 100th anniversary, CRIME ROUNDUP: Plea in fatal stabbing; man charged in ambush of deputy; plea in robbery case, Building, beginning: Olathe Business Cultivator open after the work of many hands. Eleven are arrested . Police obtained a search warrant and raided the house in the 1000 block of Fairview on March 2. 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. We started checking into this. The criminal investigation was conducted by the Denver Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Montrose County Sheriff's Office, and the Montrose Police Department, along with. This significant sentence demonstrates our commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to keep offenders from dealing drugs on our streets.. (credit: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images). "The distribution was probably nationwide.". Colorado Gov. A copy of this press release is located on the website of theU.S. Attorneys Officefor the District of Colorado. File photo of the Facebook logo. Related court documents can be found onPACERby searching for Case Numbers 19-cr-535 and 20-cr-0166. On behalf of the Montrose County Sheriffs Office, I would like to commend the DEA for its leadership and assistance with this operation, said Montrose County Sheriff Gene Lillard. The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Attorneys Office for Utah / Pexels / DEA | U.S. Law enforcement told us that this really began with the DEAs recognition of Montroses methamphetamine problem two years ago. 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. (Submitted photo/Montrose Police Chief Tom Chinn), By Katharhynn Heidelberg Oct 1, 2009 Updated Dec 19, 2014. Our drug task force put everything they had into it, and I think they did a very good job in working the case. Drug operation leads to three arrests in Montrose By (Calvin Corey) Published: Oct. 15, 2020 at 11:23 AM PDT GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - A multi-agency law enforcement operation that targeted. Police reported that they also seized about $500,000 worth of hydroponic growing equipment found inside eight other houses throughout the Houston area. 303-454-0243 direct; 303-489-2047 cell. The dangerous pills sell for about $25 on the streets. "We think the majority of this stuff was probably leaving Houston," the undercover investigator 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. "They had the houses set up on timers. Diana "Dee" Sandoval, aka "Diana Pacheco" and Ray Rodriguez, aka"Joker." 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 sends a clear message that the people of this community wont tolerate these peddlers selling these deadly poisons, or their attempts to intimidate witnesses.. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. And also over in Utah I was doing freight after freight. The pair is suspected on suspicion of drug transportation and weapons offenses. According to court records, she posted discovery documents protected by court order on Facebook. I am from last name Briseno, born over by Phoenix. "The primary distribution cell was linked to the PAYAN DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION (DTO) based in Mexico. It was excellent work between all agencies combined and especially for our drug task force, Sheriff Rick Dunlap said. Law enforcement spoke with Montezuma County Sheriff Deputy Victor Galarza, who was a Mexican diplomat to the United States from 1989 to 1992 and focuses heavily on Mexican narco culture. Galarza stated that the song was a personal narcocorrido, likely commissioned by Briceno-Quijano himself. Denver, CO 80202, Tel: (303) 454-0100 Senior Writer. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. About 30 officers from both local and federal agencies arrested five people between here and Montrose and seized 15 pounds of cocaine and four firearms. One-in-four of the pills sold in Colorado contain what could be a lethal dose of Fentanyl. The suspected meth was located in a backpack in the trunk, along with an AR15-style rifle that was loaded. Briceno-Quijano was involved in sending illegal narcotics from Mexico to the Western Slope, where he would distribute the drugs via a phone-order system. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. In Denver alone, there were 350 drug overdose deaths between Jan. 1, 2020, and Nov. 30, said Deanne Reuter, special agent in charge with the DEA, at the news conference. Close to $1 million has been seized as part of the investigation. 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. 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. Some are calling one of the largest ever in Western Colorado. 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. In San Luis Rio Colorado, I am well protected by some people, and also by a forty, which is the one that protects me. Lock Kevin Durant moped. DENVER (CBS4) - Angelina Maestas of Montrose was sentenced Wednesday to more than 13 years in federal prison. We won't share it with anyone else. The cocaine was taken during a bust in the Target parking lot in Montrose. Law. Thirteen other defendants have been previously charged in the case based on a December of 2019 indictment, the release said. The focus of the investigation was in Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Denver. 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. By Ryan Biller | rbiller@denverpost.com |. "It was like a 9-to-5 job for them.". 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. 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. The only other defendant who has so far been sentenced, Joseph Davis, was ordered to serve 151 months in federal prison. The cases against the other 10 defendants are pending. 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. Generator vs power station: Which one is right for you? 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. 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. Five men recently indicted on drug trafficking charges were moving pounds of methamphetamine into Montrose as part of a scheme that utilized courier services, the 7th Judicial District Drug. Drug use has spiked during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. They commit crimes that cause social harm across the community. Good afternoon, I present myself, with the respect of my friends. Thats why addressing this crisis is a top priority for our office, Weiser said. Other weapons, also loaded, were within reach of the suspects when the suspects were stopped, Lillard said. The pair is suspected on suspicion of drug transportation and weapons offenses. Lafond and Kissell were arrested on suspicion of offenses related to drug transportation and held at the Mesa County Jail. April 2, 2018 Behavioral Health Substance Use More Coloradans have been dying of drug overdoses each year for nearly a decade. 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. On Tuesday, the Center Police Department shared an update. Montrose resident's tip led to major drug bust. The marijuana plants could be harvested each month, thanks to the hydroponics equipment that accelerated their growth, police said. November 22, 2020 / 8:39 PM They're facing counts for the distribution of meth and heroin along with other charges. On Thursday, the Pueblo Police Department announced two people were still wanted out of Pueblo in the case. Horse races, is what I like, also to give rides to pretty women and drinking beer and liquor. MONTROSE Five people were arrested this morning in Montrose and Telluride on allegations related to cocaine trafficking and weapons smuggling. 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. this drug arrest has had more impact on people here in Montrose than just about any other I can remember.. An officer carries out a search warrant on Wednesday. Drug cells in Colorado were operating in the Denver area, including Adams County, and in Colorado Springs. We do partner with our surrounding areas and our federal government, the sheriff said. Deput According to GJPD . 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It's a health crisis that's been increasingly in the public eye, but the newest data are still startling: Some 912 people died of an overdose in 2016 - a state record. Of the 13 defendants indicted in this case, 3, including Maestas, have pleaded guilty. I have Saint Judas tattooed and has never let my hand go. DENVER, Colo. (KJCT) - A major ringleader in the Western Slope drug trafficking business has been sentenced to federal prison. The counterfeit oxycodone pills, containing fentanyl, are produced in Mexico and are known here as M30s, Reuter said. Suite 1600 If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. 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. Glenn is married and has a daughter in college. All of a sudden over the years, I established by store. 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. 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. 13 people in Montrose County were indicted on Tuesday following a year-long drug trafficking investigation. Investigators uncovered a thriving illegal drug market, including heroin and counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, authorities said. Also El Chon and El Pillo are my beloved sons too. The traffickers probably netted at least $1.5 million per year before their scheme was closed down, police said. 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. He has been charged with possession with intent to distribute and transporting drugs into the. He has worked as a newspaper reporter in the Dallas area, El Paso, San Antonio and now in Houston with the Houston Chronicle. The two warships worked together to intercept a dhow carrying 94kg of heroin and . High profile offenderstheyre not just committing drug crimes. It should reap some huge benefits for the neighborhood as the result of this.. More than 900 of those deaths were due to synthetic opioids that included fentanyl. On Thursday, the Pueblo Police Department . Following her prison sentence, Maestas was ordered to serve 5 years on supervised release. British and French frigates HMS Montrose and FS Jean Bart have bagged $1m of drugs in a bust in the Arabian Sea. 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. The city of Pueblo shared information on "Operation Double Dippin" with the public on Wednesday. The defendants also face additional charges as well in relation to the distribution of meth and heroin. Were hoping that by taking that down, it will have an effect on supply and demand here in Montrose.. 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. That berretta never fails neither do my people. The 2023 NFL Draft runs April 2729 live from Kansas City, Missouri. document.write(year) 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. (Statistics) are a way of letting our citizens know that controlled substances within Montrose County is a top priority of ours, Dunlap said. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Information about the case was released Wednesday afternoon. Marion Boister, of HPD's narcotics division. 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. "They are still trying to identify additional locations and additional suspects," said Sgt. Within Colorado, the organization was distributing throughout the entire I-25 corridor, from Trinidad to Denver.". The men arrested are identified as Tan Khac Nguyen, 31; Thien Quang Nguyen, 35; Minh Nguyen, 34; Tuan The Nguyen, 38 and Van Dung Nguyen, 55. 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. This is a full story that makes its debut in todays print edition. This defendant was a ring-leader in a major drug trafficking operation, impacting a small community in Colorado, said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. This case was investigated by the DEA with substantial support from the Montrose Police Department and the Montrose County Sheriff. Copyright 2020 KJCT. 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. "We look forward to continuing the prosecutions in the case and ensuring that this drug ring is stomped out permanently.". 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. The Drug Enforcement Agency broke up the drug operation with the help of the Montrose Police Department and the Montrose County Sheriff. They do excellent work and I think this shows what kind of work they do. 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. 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 . Omar Briceno-Quijano, a 31-year-old resident of Montrose,. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Phillips. 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. Devin Booker sulked. Its very good.. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Were told that those indicted have ties to the cartel and are predicted to just be the tip of the iceberg. U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello pronounced the sentences. Kissell also is suspected as a special offender with respect to importation. 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. This was a lengthy prosecution that involved 13 defendants. Those seated were customers and later let go, according to . Transporting that across state lines enhances the investigation itself, he said. This was a big drug bust and it should have a trickle-down effect to a lot of people here in town, Chinn said. Pueblo police announced Thursday the seizure of $8 . With the help of Luisitio everything is excellent. We want to work jointly to eradicate the drug culture in the city and county of Montrose, Lillard said. Keeler: Chris Paul got dirty. Investigators seized three handguns, the rifle and five loaded magazines, he said. 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. 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. The lyrics below are translated from Spanish. You have permission to edit this article. Glenn spent about six years in the Army - both as an enlisted soldier and officer. First published on November 22, 2020 / 8:39 PM. 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. Montrose County marijuana bust yields 1,500 pounds worth estimated $4.5 million News Crime and Public Safety Bust uncovers 1,500 pounds of marijuana, worth estimated $4.5 million, in. Montrose County spokeswoman Katie Yergensen also provided 7th Judicial District Drug Task Force numbers. The Denver Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration joined in this announcement. This is a prime example of how we work very well with federal law enforcement. Maestas is 1 of 13 people indicted in January of 2020 as part of a large-scale drug trafficking investigation in Montrose. 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. And that is how Los Alamons de la Sierra sound, relatives, with real pull, man. 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. The Montrose Daily Press is your community news provider, published five days. Were likely to see more of these sorts of arrests but probably not to this scale. 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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. Copyright 1998- 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. All rights reserved. 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. Those documents were protected by court order. Let us know what's going on! All rights reserved. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - A multi-agency law enforcement operation that targeted members of a drug-trafficking organization in Montrose has led to the indictment of three individuals. Kieran Nicholson, who has been with The Denver Post since 1986, covers breaking news. The investigation started with small street-level buys of drugs in Pueblo.