Federal Jury Convicts Felon on Drug, Firearms Charges

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Timothy Martinez, age 46, of Pueblo, was found guilty on one count of possession of methamphetamine with an intent to distribute, one count of possession of para-flurofentanyl with an intent to distribute, one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  A federal jury in Denver returned a guilty verdict against Martinez on Thursday, March 7, 2024.

According to the facts established at trial, Martinez was well known to the Pueblo Police Department.  When he was arrested in July of 2023 on an unrelated active warrant, officers found a loaded semiautomatic handgun, fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, other drugs, and various types of ammunition.  Martinez has prior felony convictions for aggravated battery, sex assault, failure to register as a sex offender, trespassing, domestic violence, controlled substance possession, and possession of a controlled substance with an intent to distribute.

“The Office of the United States Attorney in Colorado continues to work toward our goal of making our state safer by getting criminals like this off the streets,” said Cole Finegan, United States Attorney for the District of Colorado.  “Once again, this type of conviction is made possible by effective, local, state, and federal partnerships.”

“The FBI is committed to working with local law enforcement to stamp out violent crime and protect our communities. Federal task forces augment local agencies with specialized investigative resources and open pathways for federal prosecution. That is what happened in this case worked by our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force with Pueblo Police” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “This conviction should send a clear message that we will continue to pursue the most violent and persistent offenders and hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

United States District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico presided over the jury trial. Martinez will be sentenced later.

The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Aly Mance and Dustin Andre-Vandenberg handled the prosecution.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Case Number: 23-CR-00347