United States Drug Enforcement Administration

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Agents and Task Force Officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration Colorado Springs Resident Office assisted detectives from Colorado Springs Metro Vice, Narcotics, and Intelligence Division, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigations with the execution of three separate search warrants regarding illegal residential marijuana grows.  Two of the search warrants were executed within the City of Colorado Springs and one in unincorporated El Paso County.  Items seized in the search warrants included approximately 537 marijuana plants, three firearms, ammunition and an undetermined amount of U.S. currency. 

During the execution of the search warrants, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations arrested Felipe Hurtado for six outstanding felony warrants from the state of Georgia. Charges include three counts of cargo theft, one count of possession of tools for the commission of a crime, one count of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and one count of trafficking in controlled (schedule II).  All charges are related to the theft of a shipment of approximately 8.9 million hydrocodone tablets in Cartersville, Georgia, which occurred in July 2014, by Hurtado and other members of a criminal organization.

“This is an outstanding example of inter-agency cooperation in the investigations of drug trafficking organizations” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Barbra Roach.  “Law Enforcement agencies must constantly work together to deal with these criminal organizations attempting to profit from their illegal activities in our communities.”

Following the theft of the 8.9 million hydrocodone tablet, Hurtado relocated to the general area of Colorado Springs, Colorado and began to grow marijuana under the pretext of medical marijuana.