CAÑON CITY, Colo. — The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) announced Thursday that 23 people have been indicted by a grand jury on illegal marijuana manufacturing and distribution charges.
The CBI says that the multi-jurisdictional operation began in Fremont County after a violent shootout left a 57-year-old woman holding an 18-month-old injured. According to investigators, the shooting took place at a marijuana manufacturing sight and involved members of the drug trafficking organization attempting to steal the product.
CBI says that 32-year-old Onel Vincente Matinez, 41-year-old Martha Vincente Romero a federal employee with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons at the time, and 48-year-old Mario Armando Leyva Hernandez a federal employee of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs were the alleged ring leaders of a drug trafficking organization operating between multiple counties in Colorado and Florida.
Below are the individuals named and the indictment and how many charges they are facing:
- Mario Armando Leyva Hernandez, age 48 (28 Charges)
- Onel Vicente Martinez -age 32 (13 Charges)
- Antony Aleman Rosete – age 36 (13 Charges)
- Martha Vicente Romero -age 41 (11 Charges)
- Duniesky Hurtado Sotolongo dob age 39 (7 Charges)
- Ricardo Garcia Licourt – age 49 (6 Charges)
- Raciel Torres Giro- age 61 (6 Charges)
- Diosnel Hernandez Vicente – age 39 (5 Charges)
- Juan Grau Reyes- age 30 (5 Charges)
- Luis Enrique Peron Hernandez-dob age 51 (5 Charges)
- Laudis Barrueto age 50 (5 Charges)
- Raciel Ochoa Acosta- age 25 (5 Charges)
- Carlos Manuel Torres Bandera age 58 (5 Charges)
- Fernando Padilla Herrera – age 58 (4 Charges)
- Ariel Acosta Rizo age 40 (4 Charges)
- Yanaisa Yapur Guevara age 45 (4 Charges)
- Glenarvan Leyva Matos age 46 (4 Charges)
- Yunior Vasquez Martinez age 42 (4 Charges)
- Julio Ledezma Duarte age 29 (4 Charges)
- Sascha Diaz Friol age 45 (4 Charges)
- Yunier Portieles Chavez age 37 (4 Charges)
- Amelia Cardoso Carballo age 28 (3 Charges)
- Paulo Sergio Pascual Acosta age 29 (3 Charges)
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation says 9 of the 23 people named in the indictment have been arrested and authorities are working to apprehend the rest of the suspects.
“These indictments wouldn’t be possible without the extensive coordination and collaboration with our public safety partners in Colorado and across state lines to address these far-reaching operations,” said CBI Director Chris Schaefer. “While Colorado has legalized marijuana it is not legal for illicit marijuana operators to cultivate marijuana without a license with the intent of exporting it to states where the drug remains illegal and lucrative for criminals.”
Search warrants executed in Fremont, Pueblo, and El Paso Counties yielded 1,150 illicit Marijuana plants, approximately 869 pounds of Marijuana product, some packaged for distribution, 13 firearms - some stolen, approximately 3.23 grams of Methamphetamine, the recovery of stolen heavy equipment, and the recovery of stolen vehicles, stolen trailers, and a stolen UTV according to authorities.
The agencies involved in the investigation are listed below:
- Fremont County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO)
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Rocky Mountain Division
- Rocky Mountain HIDTA Front Range Drug Task Force
- Colorado Department of Revenue - Tax Enforcement Section
- U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General
- Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
- 11th Judicial District
- District Attorney's Office
- DEA HIDTA Group 43 Miami Division
- City of Miami Police Department
- Cañon City Police Department
- Collier County Sheriff's Office
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