Date: 09-11-2018

Case Style:

Case Number: 1:17-cr-00154-MSK-GPG

Judge: Marcia S. Krieger

Court: United States District Court for the District of Colorado (Mesa County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Celeste Rangel and Jeremy Chaffin

Defendant's Attorney: Richard Kornfield for Paul Hernandez Contreras

Matthew Kyle Belcher - TPD for Daniel Tapia-Morales

Jane Fisher-Byrialsen for Sean Herrera

William Richardson for Rigoberto Felix

Ashley Petrey for Sergio Gonzalez-Lomeli

Marna Mel Lake for Brandon Latigue

Jolie Ann Masterson for Jolie Ann Masterson

Michael Alan Faye for David Sosa

Description: Denver, CO - Five Western Slope Defendants Sentenced For Various Roles In Methamphetamine and Cocaine Drug Trafficking

Drugs came to Colorado from California

Five defendants have been ordered in the past 48 hours to serve prison sentences for their respective roles in the distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine, U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer and DEA Denver Division Special Agent in Charge William T. McDermott announced. Four remaining defendants have sentencing hearings pending.

Colorado Chief U.S. District Court Judge Marcia S. Krieger, sitting in Grand Junction on September 10 and September 11th, 2018, sentenced:

Sean Herrera, age 46, to serve 96 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years on supervised release;

Sergio Gonzalez-Lomeli, age 23, to serve 60 months in federal prison, followed by 4 years on supervised release;

Brandon Latgiue, age 40, to serve 9 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years on supervised release;

Ricardo Morales, age 36, to serve 78 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years on supervised release;

Karinda Sills, age 52, to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years on supervised release;



According to court documents, in April 2016, the Glenwood Springs branch of DEA began investigating drug trafficking occurring in Garfield and Mesa Counties. This investigation involved surveillance of targets, controlled purchases of methamphetamine, and wiretaps of telephones and Facebook accounts. The investigation ultimately revealed that Paul Hernandez Contreras was a California source of supply for methamphetamine and cocaine who would bring large quantities of narcotics from California to Colorado. Daniel Tapia-Morales was a distributor for Hernandez Contreras and Tapia-Morales had his own customer base. In addition to drug trafficking, many individuals in the investigation would trade firearms for narcotics. Ultimately, over 3 kilograms of methamphetamine and � kilogram of cocaine were seized, as well as firearms and thousands of dollars. The investigation resulted in the indictment of ten individuals, to include the five mentioned above and Tapia-Morales.

Special Agent In Charge Tim McDermott stated, �This case demonstrates the importance of DEA�s relationship with State and Local Task Forces, such as the Two Rivers Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT), in order to dismantle and disrupt drug trafficking organizations responsible for poisoning our communities through the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine and firearms.�

This case was investigated by the DEA Denver Division and TRIDENT, including agents in Mesa and Garfield Counties. TRIDENT is a multi-jurisdictional drug task force funded through Federal, State and Local government funding sources.

Charges:

21 U.S.C. � 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(viii), (b)(1)(C) and 846-CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTION AND POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE 500 GRAMS OR MORE OF A MIXTURE AND SUBSTANCE CONTAINING A DETECTABLE AMOUNT OF METHAMPHETAMINE, AND A MIXTURE OR SUBSTANCE CONTAINING A DETECTABLE AMOUNT OF COCAINE, BOTH A SCHEDULE II CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES.
(1)
21 U.S.C. �� 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(viii),(b)(1)(C) and 846: CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE AND POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE METHAMPHETAMINE AND COCAINE.
(1s)
21 U.S.C. � 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(viii) and 18 U.S.C. � 2- DISTRIBUTION AND POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE 500 GRAMS OR MORE OF A MIXTURE AND SUBSTANCE CONTAINING A DETECTABLE AMOUNT OF METHAMPHETAMINE, A SCHEDULE II CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, AND AIDING AND ABETTING THE SAME.
(2)
21 U.S.C. � 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C) and 18 U.S.C. � 2-DISTRIBUTION AND POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE A MIXTURE AND SUBSTANCE CONTAINING A DETECTABLE AMOUNT OF COCAINE, A SCHEDULE II CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, AND AIDING AND ABETTING THE SAME.
(3)
18 U.S.C. �� 2 and 1956(a)(1)(A)(i): MONEY LAUNDERING AND AIDING AND ABETTING THE SAME
(6s)
21 U.S.C. �� 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(viii) and 18 U.S.C. � 2: DISTRIBUTION AND POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE METHAMPHETAMINE AND AIDING AND ABETTING THE SAME
(12s)
21 U.S.C. �� 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) and 18 U.S.C. � 2: DISTRIBUTION AND POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE AND AIDING AND ABETTING THE SAME
(13s)

Outcome: 09/17/2018 347 JUDGMENT as to defendant Brandon Latigue (6). Count 5: Imprisonment: Nine (9) months, to be served consecutively to the sentence imposed in Mesa County Case No. 2017CR750. Supervised Release: three (3) years. Special Assessment: $100. By Chief Judge Marcia S. Krieger on 9/17/2018. (Attachments: # 1 Sentencing Transcript) (lrobe) (Entered: 09/17/2018)
09/17/2018 348 STATEMENT OF REASONS as to Brandon Latigue. (Attachments: # 1 Sentencing Transcript)(lrobe) (Entered: 09/17/2018)
09/17/2018 349 JUDGMENT as to Sergio Gonzalez-Lomeli (5) - Count 1 and 17, Dismissed; Count 16 - Imprisonment for 60 months; four (4) years' supervised release; $100 special assessment. Entered by Chief Judge Marcia S. Krieger on 9/17/2018. (Attachments: # 1 Sentencing Transcript) (cpear) (Entered: 09/17/2018)
09/17/2018 350 STATEMENT OF REASONS as to Sergio Gonzalez-Lomeli. (Attachments: # 1 Sentencing Transcript)(cpear) (Entered: 09/17/2018)
09/17/2018 351 JUDGMENT as to defendant Sean Herrera. Count 1 of the Superseding Indictment - Incarceration: 96 months; Supervised Release: 5 years; Special Assessment: $100. All remaining counts are dismissed, by Chief Judge Marcia S. Krieger on 9/17/2018. (Attachments: # 1 Sentencing transcript) (dhans, ) (Entered: 09/17/2018)
09/17/2018 352 STATEMENT OF REASONS as to Sean Herrera. (dhans, ) (Entered: 09/17/2018)
09/17/2018 353 JUDGMENT as to defendant Ricardo Morales (7). Count 1: Imprisonment: Seventy-eight (78) months. Supervised release: Five (5) years. Special Assessment: $100.; Counts 11, 14, and 15: Dismissed. By Chief Judge Marcia S. Krieger on 9/17/2018. (Attachments: # 1 Sentencing Transcript) (lrobe) (Entered: 09/17/2018)
09/17/2018 354 STATEMENT OF REASONS as to Ricardo Morales. (Attachments: # 1 Sentencing Transcript)(lrobe) (Entered: 09/17/2018)

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: