Three Colorado Springs residents suspected in drug trafficking conspiracy across multiple states

DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) -- Three Colorado Springs residents were among the 24 suspects arrested in an alleged drug trafficking conspiracy.

Friday, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced a federal grand jury in Denver returned a superseding indictment charging the following individuals:

• Cesar Octavio Vega Chacon, age 45, of Mexico
• Jose Ezequiel Alvarado-Villarreal, age 23, of Mexico
• Abymelec Alvarez-Miranda, age 24, of Mexico
• Manuel Campos, age 37, of Mexico
• Susana Elizabeth Carreno-Hernandez, age 42, of Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Alberto Cervantes-Salazar, age 36, of Aurora, Colorado
• Luis Daniel Feliciano Dejesus, age 37, of Denver, Colorado
• Uriel Flores, age 31, of Denver, Colorado
• Jose Antonio Sanchez-Olmedo, age 23, of Las Vegas, Nevada
• Victor Edel Sandoval-Portela, age 26, of Mexico
• Leonel Villarreal-Olivas, of Mexico
• Juan Demetrio Villapando, Jr., age 36, of Mexico
• Jose Misael Alcaraz Cortez, age 32, of San Bernardino, California
• Xiomara Faith Fabres, age 41, of Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Erasmo Franco-Gutierrez, age 27, location unknown
• Yulissa Aleli Castaneda Medrano, age 25, of Mexico
• Christian Mercado, age 31, location unknown
• Jose Abel Otero-Correa, age 23, of Aurora, Colorado
• Ian Michael Payne, Jr., age 36, of Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Stephanie Saavedra, age 36, of Littleton, Colorado, and
• Juan Antonio Serrano-Lopez, age 34, of Denver, Colorado
• Juan Demetrio Villalpando Dominguez, age 63, of West Covina, California

The U.S. Attorney's Office said two additional defendants identified by the nicknames “UM-5548” and “Ayon” are also included in the indictment, which was unsealed on May 9, 2023. 

According to the allegations in the indictment, the defendants allegedly conspired to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, 500 grams of a mixture of substances containing methamphetamine, and a kilogram of heroin.

Investigators allege that certain members of the conspiracy arranged to have the funds from the drug distribution to be moved from Colorado to California.

Juan Demetrio Villalpando Jr., known as "Junior," is accused of being the organizer, supervisor, and filling any position of "management." Among other things, the indictment alleges that funds were sent to Juan Demetrio Villalpando Dominguez in California to be delivered to Junior in Mexico.

The FBI, IRS-CI, and ICE-ERO conducted the investigation in this case.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said the prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF works to identify, disrupt, and dismantle high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States.