On January 23, the Longmont police—in connection with the United States Attorney's Office and the FBI—arrested 12 people connected with a heroin trafficking ring. This distribution ring is thought to have contributed to the overdose death of at least one person. Two additional suspects were not included in the initial arrest, with one being apprehended a few days later and the other still being sought by police.
Arrests Made For Alleged Heroin Ring
According to the Daily Camera, the accused will be facing a combination of state and federal charges. Of the 12 people arrested for their involvement in the ring, 4 face 20 years to life in prison.
The following charges have been brought against them:
- Conspiracy to distribute heroin;
- Possession with intent to distribute heroin; and
- Distribution of heroin, the use of which resulted in death.
In addition, three of the accused are facing one count of intentionally using a communications facility in furtherance of drug trafficking. These are punishable by an additional four years behind bars. The accused will appear before the United States District Court in connection with the alleged crimes.
The remaining eight people originally connected with the heroin ring are up against numerous state drug charges. Following the initial arrest, law enforcement sought two additional suspects, one which was arrested on warrants connected to the case the next day after a shoplifting incident at Cabela's. The suspect is currently incarcerated in the Adams County Detention Center. The other suspect sought in connection with the supposed heroin trafficking ring is wanted for possession with intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance.
Law enforcement began looking closely at the heroin ring after a March 2013 heroin overdose that resulted in the death of a Longmont resident. They launched an official investigation into the case in September 2014.