DENVER — Six people living on the Western Slope who are suspected associates or members of La Familia have been arrested as part of the orchestrated drug raids nationwide, authorities said Thursday.
Three others thought to be connected to La Familia were arrested Tuesday night on state drug charges, but authorities expect to file federal charges in the coming days, said Jeff Dorsch ner, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Colorado.
On July 23, a federal grand jury in Denver on July 23 indicted 11 suspects on charges of conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine, a statement by U.S. Attorney David Gaouette and special agent Jeffrey Sweetin of the Drug Enforcement Administration said.
Four suspects were arrested in July, and two more in September, while five more remain at large. The three arrested Tuesday are not part of the July indictment.
The suspects are being held in pre-trial detention, and a trial date has not been set.
The six arrestees are Martin Pimintel, 45, and Rosalie Aide Quijada, 27, both of Tucson, Ariz.; Tiburcio Delgadillo-Martinez, 33, Salvador Delgadillo-Alvarez, 29, and Jorge Rosales-Acevedo, 28, all of New Castle; and Justin Skipski, 28, of Rifle.
Authorities did not name the three arrested on Tuesday. Those still at large are Emanuel Pimintel, 19, of Tucson; Daniel Velasz quez-Guerrero, 36, of Pontiac, Mich.; and Salvador Vera-Figueroa, 37, Lucio Topete-Hernandez, 49, and Araceli Topete, all of Mexico.
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