Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
Larimer County Sheriff's Office deputies have arrested five men over the past year in connection with a drug investigation that began with social media posts about illegal activity.
The latest development in the case came Sunday, when Domingo Gonzalez, 54, of Berthoud was arrested after a lengthy investigation yielded nearly 200 pounds of processed marijuana and 173 live marijuana plants, according to arrest documents.
He is facing 12 felony charges, including distribution and manufacturing of more than 50 pounds of marijuana, and two counts of prohibited activities under the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act and tax evasion.
The Colorado Organized Crime Control Act is designed to target organized crime, which can include drug operations, wire fraud and money laundering.
The investigation began more than a year ago, when an investigator got a tip about a possible illegal marijuana grow in the 12000 block of West County Road 18E, near Loveland.
Investigators noticed tweets posted by someone they identified as 24-year-old John Louis Colberg, showing firearms and the conversion of marijuana to hash oil, according to arrest documents.
In one tweet, Colberg seemed to be trying to sell 30 pounds of marijuana for $60,000.
When investigators began observing the home on County Road 18E, they noticed it was using large amounts of water and electricity, which is common for marijuana grow operations. They also noticed an SUV that associated with the address drove to a home in the 3100 block of Megan Way in Berthoud, where Gonzalez lived.
That home also had been using a high amount of water and electricity, according to arrest documents.
When investigators searched the two homes, they found two guns, 28 grams of cocaine, 173 live marijuana plants and 175 pounds of processed marijuana. Investigators also found records linking the home on County Road 18E to more than $850,000 in purchases at a store selling marijuana growing equipment.
Gonzalez told investigators that he had harvested marijuana at the West County Road 18E address and that he had sold marijuana to some of his friends. As of Friday afternoon, he was being held at the Larimer County Jail on $500,000 bond. He is set to appear in court on Monday.
Four other men were arrested in connection with this case:
-Colberg pleaded guilty in April to possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a weapon by a previous offender. He is scheduled for a sentencing hearing Nov. 16.
-Reynaldo Perez, who allegedly paid other suspects to help with the grow operation, faces 16 charges, including racketeering under Colorado's Organized Crime Control Act, cultivation of more than 30 marijuana plants, and money laundering. He is set for a jury trial in March.
-Joshua Cifuentes faces ten charges, including tax evasion, cultivation of more than 30 marijuana plants and racketeering. He is set to appear in court in late January.
-Scott Weaver, who told investigators it was his job to answer the door at one of the homes associated with the investigation, pleaded guilty in March to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and money laundering.
The Coloradoan did not report on all of these arrests as they occurred, as law enforcement officers expressed concern that making certain information about this case public could compromise the investigation.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Investigators find nearly 200 pounds of marijuana at illegal pot grow
Author: Alicia Stice
Contact: Customer Service | Fort Collins Coloradoan
Photo Credit: Jasper PD
Website: The Coloradoan | Fort Collins news, community, entertainment, and classifieds. Serving Fort Collins, Colorado
The latest development in the case came Sunday, when Domingo Gonzalez, 54, of Berthoud was arrested after a lengthy investigation yielded nearly 200 pounds of processed marijuana and 173 live marijuana plants, according to arrest documents.
He is facing 12 felony charges, including distribution and manufacturing of more than 50 pounds of marijuana, and two counts of prohibited activities under the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act and tax evasion.
The Colorado Organized Crime Control Act is designed to target organized crime, which can include drug operations, wire fraud and money laundering.
The investigation began more than a year ago, when an investigator got a tip about a possible illegal marijuana grow in the 12000 block of West County Road 18E, near Loveland.
Investigators noticed tweets posted by someone they identified as 24-year-old John Louis Colberg, showing firearms and the conversion of marijuana to hash oil, according to arrest documents.
In one tweet, Colberg seemed to be trying to sell 30 pounds of marijuana for $60,000.
When investigators began observing the home on County Road 18E, they noticed it was using large amounts of water and electricity, which is common for marijuana grow operations. They also noticed an SUV that associated with the address drove to a home in the 3100 block of Megan Way in Berthoud, where Gonzalez lived.
That home also had been using a high amount of water and electricity, according to arrest documents.
When investigators searched the two homes, they found two guns, 28 grams of cocaine, 173 live marijuana plants and 175 pounds of processed marijuana. Investigators also found records linking the home on County Road 18E to more than $850,000 in purchases at a store selling marijuana growing equipment.
Gonzalez told investigators that he had harvested marijuana at the West County Road 18E address and that he had sold marijuana to some of his friends. As of Friday afternoon, he was being held at the Larimer County Jail on $500,000 bond. He is set to appear in court on Monday.
Four other men were arrested in connection with this case:
-Colberg pleaded guilty in April to possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a weapon by a previous offender. He is scheduled for a sentencing hearing Nov. 16.
-Reynaldo Perez, who allegedly paid other suspects to help with the grow operation, faces 16 charges, including racketeering under Colorado's Organized Crime Control Act, cultivation of more than 30 marijuana plants, and money laundering. He is set for a jury trial in March.
-Joshua Cifuentes faces ten charges, including tax evasion, cultivation of more than 30 marijuana plants and racketeering. He is set to appear in court in late January.
-Scott Weaver, who told investigators it was his job to answer the door at one of the homes associated with the investigation, pleaded guilty in March to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and money laundering.
The Coloradoan did not report on all of these arrests as they occurred, as law enforcement officers expressed concern that making certain information about this case public could compromise the investigation.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Investigators find nearly 200 pounds of marijuana at illegal pot grow
Author: Alicia Stice
Contact: Customer Service | Fort Collins Coloradoan
Photo Credit: Jasper PD
Website: The Coloradoan | Fort Collins news, community, entertainment, and classifieds. Serving Fort Collins, Colorado
