Six arrested in Southern Colorado organized crime ring tied to drug trafficking, weapons

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- In a 17-page federal indictment, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado has charged seven people with drug trafficking and weapons violations. 13 Investigates confirmed these arrests are linked to a series of FBI raids in Colorado Springs and Pueblo in recent months.

According to the court documents, Jaime Sanchez, Gabriel Sanchez, Leonard Singleton, Jose Baeza, Stephanie Barker, Leanne Wilson, and Augustine Gallegos were all indicted by a grand jury on November 15. The indictment is the result of a ten-month federal investigation into drug trafficking in Colorado Springs.

The indictment says Jaime Sanchez, Gabriel Sanchez, and Augustine Gallegos "knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine." Multiple defendants were also in possession of 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.

Jose Baeza allegedly "knowingly used, carry, brandished and discharged a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime," the federal indictment states.

The indictment states Stephanie Barker "had knowledge of the actual commission of a felony," and did not "as soon as possible make known the commission of that felony to some judge or other person in the civil or military authority."

According to the indictment, Leanne Wilson was charged with the same offense as Barker for having knowledge of a felony and not making it known to a judge or authority.

The indictment states Leonard "Cody" Singleton did "knowingly possess a firearm and ammunition in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce."

Federal prosectors claim Singleton was in possession of a "Stag 5.56 lower receiver with a modified barrel less than 16 inches, which is not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer
Record."

On October 13, federal agents served a search warrant at Singleton Sheet Metal Works in Pueblo West. According to property records, the business is owned and operated by Leonard "Cody" Singleton and other associates.

Then, on November 16, agents with the FBI descended upon two homes in Colorado Springs to serve search warrants. According to sources with knowledge of the investigation, these raids were linked to the arrests of multiple people indicted by the grand jury.

Federal judges ordered pre-trial detention for nearly all of the people indicted.

According to court documents, Singleton "has an alias name. He has been using methamphetamine for twelve years. He has a lengthy criminal record including two felony convictions," a federal judge said. "On two separate occasions, search warrants revealed firearms at the defendant’s residence. Based on this record, the Court finds that there are no conditions or combination of conditions that the Court can impose to assure the safety of the community," the judge said.

When ordering detention for Jamie Sanchez, a federal judge said, "the defendant has three prior drug trafficking convictions, for which he was sentenced to a combined 16 years in the Department of Corrections. He was on probation for a controlled substance manufacturing conviction at the time of the instant offense. Based on this record, the Court finds that there are no conditions or combination of conditions that the Court can impose to assure the safety of the community."

A federal judge mandated detention for Gallegos because of "clear and convincing evidence that Defendant presents a risk to the community if released, based on the nature of the pending charges, his potential prison time, and his prior history of narcotics offenses (including a 2009 Indictment in this District for which he received a three-year sentence)."

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Gabriel Sanchez has not yet been arrested and is considered a fugitive.

“This is an example of how the FBI works with state, federal, and local partners to break up criminal organizations and make communities safer,” said FBI Denver Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor. “We are proud of this successful collaboration and will continue to work with these and other partners where a need for FBI resources and expertise is identified.”