Eight Drug Dealers Sentenced To 32 Total Years As Part Of Large-Scale Operation

DURANGO – The United States Attorney for the District of Colorado announces that a large-scale operation to shut down a drug trafficking operation in southwest Colorado has resulted in the conviction and sentencing of eight individuals. 

In July of 2022, the Montezuma/Cortez Narcotics Investigation Team, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Indian Affairs received information that a drug trafficking organization was bringing significant amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl into Montezuma County, Colorado. More than a kilogram of methamphetamine, 1,000 fentanyl pills, and multiple firearms were recovered and resulted in the following:

Crystal Bass, 43, of Cortez, Colorado, plead guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine. She was sentenced to 15 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Douglas Brummett, 34, of Cortez, Colorado, plead guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. He was sentenced to 34 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Mary Lobato, 41, of Cortez, Colorado, plead guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams and More of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine and was sentenced to 28 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Infant Maciel, 29, of Cortez, Colorado, plead guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 42 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Luis Martinez, 44, of Cortez, Colorado, plead guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams and More of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 80 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release.

William Millard, 36, of Dolores, Colorado, plead guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Mixture and Substance Containing Fentanyl and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. He was sentenced to 78 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Cesar Ortiz-Castillo, 33, a citizen of Mexico, plead guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute at Least 40 Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl. He was sentenced to 72 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

Russell Wall, 36, of Cortez, Colorado, plead guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams and More of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 36 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release.

“Keeping illicit drugs out of the Four Corners region is a critical part of our public safety efforts there,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch.  “We thank our local, tribal, and federal partners for helping make this complex operation possible and keeping the citizens of Montezuma County safer.”

“This investigation represents the Drug Enforcement Administration’s steadfast commitment to the rural communities of Colorado. There is no safe space for drug trafficking organizations to operate, and as demonstrated by a multi-agency effort, the DEA and its partners will identify, investigate, and prosecute those persons who seek to destroy our communities only to enrich themselves,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen.

“The Montezuma/Cortez Narcotics Investigation Team is committed to fighting the war on dangerous drugs and stopping the flow of illicit narcotics coming into our communities,” said Cortez Police Detective Tom Quinnett.  “Our primary goal is to dismantle and destroy drug trafficking organizations within our reach.” 

“The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Division of Drug Enforcement is committed to combating illegal drug usage, possession, and distribution throughout Indian Country.  This long-term investigation displays the results achieved through cooperation with the other Tribal, Local, and Federal agencies,” said Acting/Deputy Associate Director Tom Atkinson.  “BIA is devoted to continuing to protect our native communities and is thankful for the partnerships with the DEA, Montezuma Cortez Narcotics Investigation Team, BIA-Ute Mountain Ute Agency, and Ute Mountain Casino Security.”

Judge Gordon P. Gallagher presided over the proceedings. The case was investigated in a collaborative effort of the Montezuma/Cortez Narcotics Investigation Team, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorneys R. Josh Player and Jeffrey K. Graves handled the prosecutions.

Case Numbers: 22-cr-00358-GPG-JMC, 23-cr-00007-GPG-JMC, 23-cr-00245-GPG-JMC