Thread: 46 Gang Members Indicted in Large-Scale Drug & Gun

U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Colorado1225 Seventeenth Street, Suite 700
Seventeenth Street Plaza
Denver, Colorado 80202
(303) 454-011
Fax: (303) 454-0400
www.justice.gov/usao/co For Immediate Release

June 15, 2010

David M. Gaouette, United States Attorney

Forty-Six Gang Members and Associates Indicted in Large-Scale Drug and Gun Investigation in Greeley

16 Arrested in Massive Enforcement Action This Morning

DENVER — The ATF led Greeley RAGE Task Force (Regional Anti-Gang Enforcement), including the Greeley Police Department and the FBI, along with multiple other law enforcement jurisdictions, arrested 16 people this morning as part of a criminal investigation into drug distribution and gun possession by gang members and associates in Greeley, Colorado. Today’s arrests were the result of a federal grand jury indictment on June 10, 2010. On April 21, 2010, based on an investigation initiated by the Weld County Drug Task Force, a separate grand jury indictment was returned charging 13 individuals for drug distribution and gun possession. During the course of the investigations, 46 people were charged in four separate indictments. The two main indictments together include 43 defendants and a total of 190 counts. Of those arrested, some were taken to U.S. District Court in Denver, where they made initial appearances to be advised of the charges pending against them. The remaining defendants will be taken to federal court tomorrow.

Seizures during the two and a half year investigation include 1 pound of methamphetamine that was 98 percent pure, 6.3 pounds of methamphetamine that was 100 percent pure (worth over $500,000), 21 firearms (including a SKS assault rifle and three sawed off shotguns), one half pound of cocaine, one quarter pound of crack cocaine, nine pounds of marijuana, and 3.6 grams of mushrooms.

The first indictment (U.S. v. Miguel Angel Velasquez et al) was returned on April 21, 2010, charging 13 defendants with 51 counts of drug trafficking crimes, including conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, and more than 5 kilograms of marijuana. Two of the defendants are also charged with being felons in possession of firearms. Three of the defendants reside in California, and one in Mexico. The indictment includes two counts of distribution within 1,000 feet of a playground. If convicted of the main drug charge, these defendants face not less than 10 years, and up to life in federal prison, as well as a $4,000,000 fine. The second indictment (U.S. v. Venieto J. Montelongo) was returned on April 22, 2010, charging one defendant with four criminal counts, including distribution and possession with intent to distribute less than 5 grams of methamphetamine. That defendant is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted the defendant in the second indictment faces not more than 20 years in federal prison on the drug charge, and not more than 10 years imprisonment on the gun charge.

The third indictment (U.S. v. Michael Wayne Morgan et al) was returned on May 4, 2010, charging two defendants with 11 counts of gun and drug crimes. The first defendant faces multiple firearms charges, as well as drug charges, including possession of a sawed-off shotgun, distribution and possession with intent to distribute meth, and using a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The second defendant in the third indictment faces one count of drug distribution. If convicted, the first defendant faces not more than 20 years in federal prison for the drug crime, and not more than 10 years imprisonment for each count of the firearm crimes. If convicted of using a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, the defendant faces an additional 5 years consecutive to any other federal sentence.

The fourth indictment (U.S. v. Jeramy Antuna et al), charges 30 defendants with 139 counts of drug and gun crimes. Included in the fourth indictment allegations of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, as well as substantive drug trafficking crimes. Four are charged with distribution in a school zone, and three are charged with distribution while a child under 18 is present. Fourteen counts in the indictment involve firearm charges, including the possession of three sawed off shotguns. One defendant was also charged for maintaining a premises for the purpose of drug distribution.

“A large scale operation, such as this, demonstrates the resolve of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to work closely with local, state, and federal partners to make our communities safer,â€

So. all this ICE & ATF activity that has been going on lately, is it just running out the cases left over from the Bush era, or does anyone think this AG and DHS are actually starting investigations on their own?

Or, is this just more propaganda to try and convince us they are actually doing something besides sitting on their thumbs or chest-pounding?

Originally Posted by laughinglynx

So. all this ICE & ATF activity that has been going on lately, is it just running out the cases left over from the Bush era, or does anyone think this AG and DHS are actually starting investigations on their own?

Or, is this just more propaganda to try and convince us they are actually doing something besides sitting on their thumbs or chest-pounding?

If they didn't intend to catch these criminals they would have just pulled the people off of these investigations and let the cases die.

Originally Posted by laughinglynx

So. all this ICE & ATF activity that has been going on lately, is it just running out the cases left over from the Bush era, or does anyone think this AG and DHS are actually starting investigations on their own?

Or, is this just more propaganda to try and convince us they are actually doing something besides sitting on their thumbs or chest-pounding?

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http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-203120.html

Originally Posted by laughinglynx

So. all this ICE & ATF activity that has been going on lately, is it just running out the cases left over from the Bush era, or does anyone think this AG and DHS are actually starting investigations on their own?

Or, is this just more propaganda to try and convince us they are actually doing something besides sitting on their thumbs or chest-pounding?

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. . . For the past nine months, Colombian police and U.S. law enforcement have waged war against what they call "the super cartel," an international money laundering and drug trafficking network more sophisticated - and more powerful - than anything they'd seen before and responsible for nearly half the Colombian cocaine on the streets of the United States. . .

That's at least 912 tons over the past seven years with a street value of $24 billion.

http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-1077414.html#1077414