Authorities make big drug trafficking arrests
Three separate investigations have led to the arrest of 14 people responsible for trafficking and distributing heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana throughout the Pikes Peak Region.
The first investigation began in October 2011. Officials identified several members of a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine in Colorado Springs. Information learned from the Colorado Springs investigation led to coordinated investigations in seven states within the U.S. as well as Mexico.
Over the course of this 10 month investigation, investigators seized approximately 6.8 pounds of heroin, 9.75 pounds of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of cocaine, $152,755 in U.S. Currency, and 6 vehicles.
During this investigation, investigators learned of a second independent heroin trafficking cell operating in Colorado Springs and Pueblo. This second investigation culminated on August 16, with the arrest of two Colorado Springs residents after investigators intercepted a suspected load vehicle traveling from California to Colorado Springs. Inside the vehicle investigators recovered 4 pounds of heroin along with pound of cocaine. Investigators also seized an additional pound of heroin and 3 vehicles during a court authorized search of a Colorado Springs apartment.
In an unrelated investigation, DEA Colorado Springs Resident Office (CSRO) received information on August 14, 2012 from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) regarding a marijuana distributor with approximately four hundred pounds of marijuana being stored in Denver, Colorado. Further investigation by the CSRO, HSI, and the DEA Strike Force in Denver resulted in the recovery of approximately 600 pounds of marijuana, the seizure of two vehicles, and the arrest of five individuals.
The narcotics seized during the investigation are valued at $5,630,000.00.
The below 14 individuals were arrested in conjunction with the above investigations. At least five of the suspects are illegal immigrants according to police.
Juan Ramon Espinoza-Aldana
Javier Francisco-Jimenez
Maria Isabel Mendoza-Palacios
Guadalupe Marguez-Chavez
Ernesto Mata-Rotas
Angel Eduard Nunez-Rivera
Mario Alberto Dominguez-Orozco
Cesar Sotelo-Lopez
Jacinto Ponce-Amparo
Matias Aleman-Sanchez
Miguel Angel Gamboa-Tasso
Enrique Cuevas-Del Toro
Zakariya Angel Salazar
Leo Rios-Lucero
The success of these investigations are attributed to the Colorado Springs Police Department’s Metro Vice, Narcotics and Intelligence Unit (VNI), Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Colorado Springs Resident Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Southern Colorado Safe Streets Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations {HSI}, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Pueblo Police Department, Pueblo Sheriff’s Office, Denver Police Department, and the Colorado State Patrol.
