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Garfield, Eagle counties drug trafficking arrest nets brothers

Tatiana Flowers
tflowers@postindependent.com
Jose Alejandro Flores-Alba

Prosecutors are expected to file charges Wednesday against a 34-year-old man who allegedly led a widespread drug trafficking ring that operated across Eagle and Garfield counties.

Jose Alejandro Flores-Alba, held at Garfield County Jail on $500,000 bond, was arrested May 14 and charged with eight felony crimes related to the possession and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine.

He is expected to appear in front of a judge for a filing of charges at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.



According to court documents, a confidential source started providing information to authorities about Flores-Alba in June 2017, offering to arrange multiple sting operations between the drug trafficker and law enforcement authorities.

The source, referred to as “CS” in court papers, had been leaking information to authorities about other drug dealers since July 2016, in exchange for money and judicial consideration in his or her own pending drug distribution charge.



Court papers say CS was introduced to Flores-Alba by another drug trafficking associate.

According to a court affidavit, over the course of six months, CS arranged eight sting operations between Flores-Alba and undercover authorities and that at each meeting, large quantities of illegal drugs were purchased, usually costing more than $1,000 each visit.

During the course of the investigation, the Two Rivers Drug Enforcement Team purchased about two pounds (or 940 grams) of methamphetamine, three ounces (or 88.5 grams) of cocaine, and one ounce (or 26.1 grams) of heroin.

Each time officers seized drugs, they tested and placed them in temporary storage lockers as evidence, the documents say.

Two 9th Judicial District court judges gave permission to intercept nine different oral, electronic or wire communication devices that belonged to Flores-Alba to help with the investigation, and the additional surveillance allowed officers to confiscate an additional 127 grams of cocaine during a traffic stop, in which Flores-Alba was caught speeding.

Flores-Alba’s brother, Agustin, who would often allegedly fill in on drug sales, was arrested three days after his older brother and charged with six similar crimes.

He is held on $30,000 bond and is expected to appear in court on May 30 at 1:30 p.m.


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