March 28, 2008
——————
PRESS RELEASE
Public Information Officer:
Heather Benjamin, MCSO
Phone: (970) 244-3929
Cell: (970) 986-0950
Email:
[email protected]
The Western Colorado
Drug Task Force is a
partnership established
in the early 1980’s
between the U.S. Department of Justice
Drug Enforcement
Administration, the
Grand Junction Police
Department and the
Mesa County Sheriff’s
Office. The Task
Force is designed to
fight the battles of
drugs on the frontlines
and other crimes that
go with dealing and
using drugs. Grand
Junction Police Chief
Bill Gardner and Mesa
County Sheriff Stan
Hilkey agree that this
Task Force is effective
and nationally competitive in the law enforcement field when
it comes to knowledge,
experience and team
work. The Drug Task
Force provides a refined level of service
to the law abiding citizens of Mesa County
and across the Western
Slope.
WESTERN COLORADO DRUG TASK FORCE
METH ARREST NETS 9 SUSPECTS
Retired man local drug leader, arrested
MESA COUNTY, CO – On March 26, 2008, a joint effort between the DEA, Western Colorado Drug Task Force, and both Street Crimes Units from the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office and the Grand Junction Police Department resulted in 3/4 of a pound of methamphetamine taken off the streets. That amount of meth has an approximate street value
of $33,000 to $35,000.
Nine suspects were arrested in connection to the drug bust at 1181 Lowell Court #5,
Grand Junction. However, suspects were arrest at various locations after seen leaving
1181 Lowell Court #5. Robert Hakel lives at 1181 Lowell Court #5, and goes by the
nickname “Grandpa.” Officers were able to determine that Rene Soto brings 1 to 2
pounds of meth (as sometimes cocaine too) to Hakel, nearly every week from Arizona.
Task Force Officers have known about a Hispanic male bringing drugs from Arizona to
the Grand Valley on a regular basis since the summer 2006. It has now been determined that the Hispanic male, running drugs almost weekly from Arizona is Soto.
Suspects arrested include:
• Robert Hakel, 66, of Grand Junction
• David York, 34, of Grand Junction
• Blaine Ellifritz, 39, of Grand Junction
• Trisha Thomas, 30, of Grand Junction
• Katy (Slawson) Christian. 22, of Grand Junction
• Rene Soto, 30, of Phoenix Arizona
• Miguel Valenzuela, 31, of Phoenix Arizona
• Ramiro Valenzuela, 18, of Phoenix Arizona
• Sonia Loucks, 46, of Grand Junction
Bond updates and exact charges can be accessed via the Sheriff’s Office website:
www.sheriff.mesacounty.us, click on ‘Inmate Inquiry System’.
All nine suspect’s booking photos are attached and Soto’s arrest affidavit is attached for
further details about each suspect arrested as it contains the exact information on all
arrest affidavits.
###
Western Colorado Drug Task
Force Leadership:
Lt. David Holdren, MCSO
Sgt. Gary Marak, GJPD
RAC, Karen Flowers, DEA
Mesa County Sheriff’s Office
215 Rice Street
Grand Junction, CO 81501
(970) 244-3500
www.sheriff.mesacounty.us
Grand Junction Police Department
625 Ute Avenue
Grand Junction, CO 81501
(970) 244-3555
www.gjcity.org