Metro Denver Heroin Ring Bust Nets 6,500 Grams Worth $500K

GOLDEN, CO -- Six men were charged Thursday with criminal conspiracy and racketeering in an alleged massive heroin ring in Jefferson County and Metro Denver. After a multi-month investigation, District Attorney Pete Weir announced that a grand jury has returned a 61-count indictment against the men for violating the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act (COCCA) and for distributing drugs.

Undercover investigators seized or made undercover purchases of 3,305 grams of heroin with a street value of $264,400 between April and Dec., 2017. Search warrants at four “stash houses” turned up $6,700 and 3,215 grams of heroin.

Five men were arrested in the ring, including ring-leader Fermin Flores-Rosales, 41.

• Mario Acosta-Ruiz, 30
• Cristobal Flores-Rosales, 47
• Yoel Soto-Campos, 21
• Juan Borques Meza, 24

A sixth man, Joel Torrez-Espinoza, 25, has a warrant out for his arrest.

According to the indictment: The ring imported heroin from outside Colorado. The drugs were stored in one or more “stash houses” in Metro Denver. Prospective heroin customers would make a phone call to someone acting as “dispatcher” who would provide information as to where and when the drugs would be delivered. A “runner” would meet the prospective buyer with the drugs at the agreed upon location. Cash proceeds from heroin sales would be given to Flores-Rosales. Flores-Rosales wired some of the money to person(s) outside the U.S., often in amounts just under $1,000 because Flores-Rosales did not have the identification necessary to wire larger amounts.

“This indictment and the dismantling of this heroin ring goes a long way towards stopping the flow of heroin into our community,” said Weir, “This is a great example of teamwork between local and federal law enforcement agencies in Colorado. While the West Metro Drug Task Force was the lead agency, the DEA, the District Attorney’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Fugitive Unit, and the Denver Police Department participated in the apprehension of these men.”

Five of the six men have been arrested and are due in court on January 16 at 11:00 a.m.

Image: Alleged heroin ringleader Fermin Flores-Rosales, 41. Courtesy: JeffCo District Atty.