23, including alleged ring leaders, indicted in illegal marijuana operation

CAÑON CITY, Colo. (KXRM) — The 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced grand jury indictments of 23 suspects in a multi-jurisdictional investigation into illicit marijuana-manufacturing and distribution operations that spanned Fremont, El Paso and Pueblo counties.

According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the investigation began with a “violent shootout” at a Fremont County property. In that incident, a 57-year-old woman was hit by gunfire while holding an 18-month-old baby.

CBI said the woman survived her injuries and the toddler was not harmed.

CBI said the investigation was a joint effort between federal agencies and law enforcement in Colorado and Florida.

“These indictments wouldn’t be possible without the extensive coordination and collaboration with our public safety partners in Colorado and across state lines to address these far-reaching operations,” said CBI Director Chris Schaefer. “While Colorado has legalized marijuana it is not legal for illicit marijuana operators to cultivate marijuana without a license with the intent of exporting it to states where the drug remains illegal and lucrative for criminals.”

Allegedly the shooting was related to a robbery of a marijuana-manufacturing site by members of a Drug Trafficking Organization.

Search warrants for the various properties led law enforcement to seize 1,150 illegal marijuana plants, approximately 869 pounds of marijuana product (including some packaged for distribution) 13 firearms including some that were stolen and about 3.23 grams of methamphetamine. In addition, law enforcement recovered stolen heavy equipment and stolen vehicles, trailers and a stolen UTV.

CBI said the alleged racketeering ringleaders of the DTO were Onel Vicente Martinez, 32; his wife Martha Vicente Romero, 41, who was an employee of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons at the time the alleged crimes were committed; and Mario Armando Leyva Hernandez, 48, an employee of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The indictment accuses the three of recruiting members for their DTOs from Florida and other areas to operate illegal operations in Colorado.

The indictments named the following suspects who were allegedly involved in the scheme:

• Mario Armando Leyva Hernandez, 48, is facing 28 charges
• Onel Vicente Martinez, 32, is facing 13 charges
• Antony Aleman Rosete, 36, is facing 13 charges
• Martha Vicente Romero, 41, is facing 11 charges
• Duniesky Hurtado Sotolongo dob, 39, is facing seven charges
• Ricardo Garcia Licourt, 49, is facing six charges
• Raciel Torres Giro, 61, is facing six charges
• Diosnel Hernandez Vicente, 39, is facing five charges
• Juan Grau Reyes, 30, is facing five charges
• Luis Enrique Peron Hernandez-dob, 51, is facing five charges
• Laudis Barrueto, 50, is facing five charges
• Raciel Ochoa Acosta, 25, is facing five charges
• Carlos Manuel Torres Bandera, 58, is facing five charges
• Fernando Padilla Herrera, 58, is facing four charges
• Ariel Acosta Rizo, 40, is facing four charges
• Yanaisa Yapur Guevara, 45, is facing four charges
• Glenarvan Leyva Matos dob, 46, is facing four charges
• Yunior Vasquez Martinez, 42, is facing four charges
• Julio Ledezma Duarte, 29, is facing four charges
• Sascha Diaz Friol, 45, is facing four charges
• Yunier Portieles Chavez, 37, is facing four charges
• Amelia Cardoso Carballo dob, 28, is facing three charges
• Paulo Sergio Pascual Acosta, 29, is facing three charges

Nine of the suspects have been arrested and law enforcement reportedly are searching for the remaining suspects. The charges these suspects face range from a pattern of racketeering to marijuana cultivation to controlled substance possession.

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