Thread: 23 Arrested In Family Drug Ring (Good family values!)

http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1307861&secid=1

23 arrested in suspected family drug ring

STILL AT LARGE TUESDAY: From left, Juan Manuel Tovar-Ramirez, Joseph Bright and Demetrio Salazar-Isiordia
By R. SCOTT RAPPOLD THE GAZETTE

Twenty-three Colorado Springs residents have been arrested and millions of dollars worth of methamphetamine and other drugs seized after a 14-month investigation.

Local, state and federal law enforcement officials on Tuesday announced the breakup of the “Tovar drug trafficking organization,� allegedly headed by Heriberto Tovar-Cordova, 39, and based around his extended family.

Investigators seized 23 pounds of pure methamphetamine, 6 pounds of cocaine, nearly 10 pounds of marijuana and 500 plants, as well as 17 firearms and $43,000. Officials said the pure meth could have produced 100 pounds with a street value of $4 million.

The street value of the meth, cocaine and marijuana was estimated at $5 million.

“A large quantity of dangerous drugs have been removed from the streets of Colorado Springs, and the people responsible for their distribution are in jail,� said Bill Leone, acting U.S. attorney for Colorado.

Fifteen people have been arrested since Friday on federal drug charges, and three more are being sought.

The 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office will prosecute eight others.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating the family in March 2004, after receiving information on them from Colorado Springs police.

“This was a thorough, intense, long-term criminal investigation designed to dismantle the entire organization from top to bottom,� said DEA Special Agent Kevin Merrill, who runs the agency’s Denver office.

Although many methamphetamine arrests in Colorado Springs are for small, homemade labs, which can produce about an ounce at a time, officials say the Tovars have been bringing in pounds of 80 percent to 95 percent pure meth from California, Arizona and Mexico since March 2003.

“This is some of the highest purity meth we’ve seen in a long time,� Merrill said. “This type of meth is produced at what we call superlabs, and these are methamphetamine labs on a much larger scale.�

Many of those arrested are illegal immigrants, and most were part of Tovar-Cordova’s extended family, Merrill said.

A grand jury charged him with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise and drug distribution, and he faces 35 years to life in prison.

Officials say the drugs were sold from several houses in Colorado Springs, including some near schools.

The 15 people arrested on federal charges are in a federal jail in the Denver area and could face prison terms ranging from five years to life.

The other seven adults and a juvenile, accused of selling or possessing smaller amounts of methamphetamine or cocaine, are in El Paso County jail.

Three other Colorado Springs men are wanted by federal authorities. They are Joseph Bright, 36, Demetrio Salazar-Isiordia, 26, and Juan Manuel Tovar-Ramirez, 18. Anyone with information on them is asked to call the DEA at (719) 866-6100.

Federal officials worked with Colorado Springs police, the El Paso and Teller County sheriff’s offices, the Colorado State Patrol, the Fountain, Woodland Park and Pueblo police departments and the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

Merrill said the investigation could lead to other arrests.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 476-1605 or srappold@gazette.com

DRUG INVESTIGATION FALLOUT

Fifteen Colorado Springs residents have been arrested in connection with the breakup of a drug trafficking organization:

- Heriberto Tovar-Cordova, 39 - Marco Antonio Barrera, 21 - Juan Luis Tovar-Rodriguez, 19 - Omar Tovar, a.k.a. Manuel Hernandez-Ruiz, 29 - Ramon Duran-Solis, 24 - Jose Guadalupe Cordoba-Murillo, 24 - Daniel Ocampo-Rojas, 23 - Miguel Benigno Rivero-Sauri, 28 - Oscar Acosta-Lopez, 24 - Tammi Aragon, 45 - Latricia Mitchem, 22 - Julio Nunez-Renteria, 27 - Nazario Tovar-Rodriguez, 22 - Jesus Alberto Villar-Gonzalez, 24 - Kathleen Elizabeth Ranals, 19

Three others are still being sought by federal authorities:

- Joseph Bright, 36 - Demetrio Salazar-Isiordia, 26 - Juan Manuel Tovar-Ramirez, 18

In addition, the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting eight Colorado Springs residents for lesser drug offenses:

- Reina Isabella Talamantes, 24 - Julio Cesar Rodriguez-Chulim, 24 - Hugo Villagran-Tovar, 22 - Jose Barajos-Martinez, 21 - Rebecca Tovar-Martinez, 31 - Juan Arrellano-Martinez, 24 - Yuriana Mayo Quitero, 21 - An unidentified 17-year-old

"Many of those arrested are illegal immigrants, and most were part of Tovar-Cordova’s extended family, Merrill said."

Yes, Mr President this is the fine family type you want to come to our county and do the jobs us lazy REAL Americans will not do. Come on Geroge it's time to wake up.

"Many of those arrested are illegal immigrants, and most were part of Tovar-Cordova’s extended family, Merrill said."

Yes, Mr President this is the fine family type you want to come to our county and do the jobs us lazy REAL Americans will not do. Come on Geroge it's time to wake up.

I am in total agreement!