Denver Area Meth and Cocaine Dealer from Mexico Found Guilty Following Jury Trial

DENVER – Jorge Loya-Ramirez, age 49 of Denver, and a citizen of Mexico was convicted late yesterday of nine counts of various drug charges following a jury trial before U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI Denver Division and the Metro Gang Task Force announced. The trial lasted seven days, and the jury deliberated for three hours before reaching their guilty verdicts. Loya-Ramirez is the last defendant of multiple defendants charged under the case name Operation Black Rhino. All other defendants had previously pled guilty and have or await sentencing. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Loya-Ramirez and 27 others were indicted by a federal grand jury on June 23, 2015. Of the 27 other defendants, most have pled guilty, some have been sentenced, and others had their cases dismissed. The nine counts of conviction include: one count of Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine; five counts of Possession and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of Possession and possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and three counts of Use of a telephone during the commission of a drug offense.

According to the facts presented at trial, the defendant claimed to be a man who sold tacos from a food truck. However, the prosecution proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Loya-Ramirez was the “El Jefe” or “The Boss” of a large-scale drug trafficking organization. He was responsible for importing nearly 200 pounds of methamphetamine, which was then distributed in the Denver metro area, Ft. Morgan, Greeley and southwest Kansas. Additionally, the defendant dealt with kilogram quantities of cocaine.

Further, the prosecution established that the defendant used violence and intimidation in order to make his drug organization function. His tactics included acts of violence and assaults on workers in Colorado as well as threat against family members of his associates here and in Mexico. While claiming to be a taco salesman, he built two high priced homes in Mexico during the course of the conspiracy.

At sentencing, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison for his crimes.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer praised the trial team, Assistant United States Attorneys Tim Edmonds and Zachary Phillips for their hard work. He also recognized the FBI and the Metro Gang Task Force for their outstanding work investigating this complex drug trafficking organization.