CAÑON CITY, Colo. — Nearly two dozen people were indicted this week on over 100 combined charges in connection with an illegal marijuana grow operation in southern Colorado, a spokesperson with the 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said in a news release Thursday.
The 23 suspects were indicted as a result of a multi-jurisdictional investigation into the illegal marijuana grow operation that spanned multiple properties in Fremont, El Paso and Pueblo counties.
The suspects were allegedly engaged “in a scheme of manufacturing and processing marijuana in Fremont County, Pueblo County, and El Paso County, which was then to be illegally distributed out of state,” according to the spokesperson.
The indictments name the following suspects, as well as the number of charges they face, including racketeering, conspiracy, possession of a controlled substance, possession and cultivation of large amounts of marijuana, child abuse, tax evasion, tampering with physical evidence, among others.
- 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 dob 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 dob age 28 (3 Charges)
- Paulo Sergio Pascual Acosta age 29 (3 Charges)
Authorities were also able to seize 1,150 illicit marijuana plants, approximately 869 pounds of marijuana product, some packaged for distribution, 13 firearms - some of which were 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, the release states.
“Onel Vicente Martinez age 32, his wife Martha Vicente Romero age 41, a federal employee of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons at the time the alleged crimes were committed, and Mario Armando Leyva Hernandez, age 48, a federal employee of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, were the alleged ringleaders of a racketeering and Drug Trafficking Organization(s) (DTO),” prosecutors said in the news release.
Nine of the 23 suspects have been arrested, according to the release. Authorities are working on locating and arresting the 14 other remaining suspects.
