Drug ring in Boulder County: 17 indicted for meth, cocaine, to Stan Garnett's delight | The Latest Word | Denver | Denver Westword | The Leading Independent News Source in Denver, Colorado
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Drug ring in Boulder County: 17 indicted for meth, cocaine, to Stan Garnett's delight

Boulder District Attorney Stan Garnett, who's challenging John Suthers for the job of Colorado Attorney General, was able to burnish his law-and-order credentials today via the actions of a grand jury, which just handed down a 127-count, seventeen-person indictment aimed at a Longmont drug ring. Charges include racketeering and theft...
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Boulder District Attorney Stan Garnett, who's challenging John Suthers for the job of Colorado Attorney General, was able to burnish his law-and-order credentials today via the actions of a grand jury, which just handed down a 127-count, seventeen-person indictment aimed at a Longmont drug ring.

Charges include racketeering and theft in relation to the sale and distribution of meth and cocaine, as detailed below:

The grand jury indictment -- to read it, click here -- is topped by two alleged violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, which are sketched out in a section labeled "The Enterprise:"

The Enterprise Alleged in Counts One and Two were a group of individuals, associated in fact although not a legal entity. The individuals in this group included, but were not limited to the following:

Alyssa Kurtz, James Romero, Bonnie Miller, Eddy Peter, Mary Moritz, Aaron Waddell, Michelle Grube, James Vester, Dustin Zavala, Robert Gutierrez, Kerri McKelvy, Leopoldo Morales, Erasmo Fernandez Jr. Francisco Najera, [redacted] and other persons known or as yet unknown to the 20th Judicial District Grand Jury who were involved from time to time in racketeering activity described herein that was related to the conduct of the Enterprise.

The conduct of the Enterprise was to buy, sell, and trade illegal narcotics, including cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine. [Redacted]. Erasmo Fernandez Jr. would supply the narcotics to a number of individuals including James Romero who distributed the narcotics in the Longmont area. Alyssa Kurtz would obtain cocaine from sources Leopoldo Morales or Francisco Najera. Individuals would contact Alyssa Kurtz and James Romero in order to obtain drugs to distribute to customers in the Longmont area. In some instances, James Romero and Alyssa Kurtz would "front" illegal narcotics to other members of the Criminal Enterprise by providing the narcotics to these other members without requiring immediate payment for sale. These individuals would request to have the cost of the narcotics "carried" or "put on the books." In addition o the distribution of narcotics, Erasmo Fernandez Jr. supplied stolen property to James Romero and others in exchange for money, when the parties knew the property was stolen.

No mention as to whether the suspects settled in Longmont because it's so damned expensive to live in Boulder. Look below to see a press release from Garnett's office regarding the indictments:

BOULDER COUNTY GRAND JURY INDICTS 17 IN MAJOR DRUG RING CASE

The Boulder County District Attorney, Stan Garnett, and the Longmont Police Department announced today that the Boulder Grand Jury has handed down a 127 count indictment against seventeen members of a major drug ring, which police and prosecutors allege is responsible for the sale and distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine within Boulder County. The indictment also includes charges of racketeering and theft. The indictment followed months of undercover investigation coordinated by members of the Longmont Police Department, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Boulder County Drug Task Force.

According to DA Garnett, the indictment is a measure of the excellent cooperation and expertise of both federal and local law enforcement agencies: "The evidence in this case is the result of thorough and tenacious officers, who put together a well executed undercover operation, that resulted in the arrest of these individuals, who are alleged to have been involved in a well organized crime ring in our community."

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