Attorney General Phil Weiser and law enforcement partners take down drug ring, seize over 9 kilograms of cocaine

July 23, 2025 (DENVER) – The statewide grand jury indicted 11 defendants on a total of 28 counts, each for a range of alleged drug distribution-related crimes between August of 2024 and May of 2025, Attorney General Phil Weiser announced today.

“Fighting against the illegal drug flow has long been one of my priorities,” said Weiser. “Protecting Coloradans by holding traffickers accountable and keeping our communities safe is something we strive to do every single day.”

According to the superseding indictment returned on June 26, law enforcement surveilled, tracked, and apprehended various defendants between August 7, 2024, and May 15, 2025. Julio Guttierrez-Hernandez, Ernesto Miranda-Contreras, Moises Gomez, Daniel Efrain Mendoza-Barragan, Humberto Banuelos-Carranza, Sergio Hermosillo-Hernandez, Javier Alba-Olivares, Luis Angel Alvizo-Rodriguez, Jose De Jesus Rodriguez-Garcia, Justin Stuart Murphy, and Christopher Robin-Leis allegedly sold, purchased, or conspired to distribute illicit substances, namely cocaine.

The investigation began with an undercover detective’s interaction with defendant Julio Guttierez-Hernandez on August 13, 2024. Guttierez-Hernandez met with the undercover agent and allegedly sold them approximately 85 grams of cocaine. This was the first of two initial interactions between Guttierez-Hernandez and the undercover agent, with the second being an alleged purchase of roughly 250 grams of cocaine on October 3, 2024.

With these undercover operations and routine police work to monitor additional illicit drug sales, investigators were able to track the alleged sale of 2,000 grams of cocaine by Guttierez-Hernandez to Daniel Efrain Mendoza-Barragan on October 24, 2024. Situations like this allegedly occurred frequently throughout the nine months detailed in the indictment.

“We were proud to partner with Colorado AG’s Office to dismantle the leadership and supply chains of this drug trafficking organization operating right here in our own backyard,” said the North Metro Task Force. “By significantly disrupting the flow of illicit substances into our communities we are protecting our citizens from the devastating consequences of drug abuse. This case is just another great example of the teamwork between our two agencies, and our commitment to the citizens of Adams County and the State of Colorado.”

The indicted counts include conspiring to distribute a controlled substance, a class 2 drug felony; possessing a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, a class 1 drug felony; and distributing a controlled substance, a class 2 drug felony.

The investigation was conducted by the North Metro Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by the 17^th Judicial District in Adams County District Court.

Read the statewide grand jury indictment (PDF).

A grand jury indictment is a formal accusation that an individual committed a crime under Colorado laws. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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Media Contact:
Lawrence Pacheco
Chief Communications Officer
(720) 508-6553 office
lawrence.pacheco@coag.gov