Eight people have been indicted in the Denver metropolitan area on charges involving drug trafficking, weapons possession, and money laundering. The announcement was made by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.
The defendants are Dario Perez Quintero, 34, formerly of Denver; Guadalupe Mendoza Martinez, 46, of Aurora; Pedro Mendoza Martinez, 54, of Aurora; Abimael Felix Luque, 32, of Aurora; David Uvaldo Mora Sanchez, 32, formerly of Aurora; Hector Joel Quijada Portillo, 30, of Commerce City; Oscar Noel Ruelas Molina, 44, of Aurora; and Jose Alexis Guzman Felix, 30, of Wheat Ridge.
According to an eighteen-count indictment filed this week:
- All eight individuals are charged with one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine.
- Perez Quintero faces six additional counts related to distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl as well as one count involving methamphetamine.
- Guadalupe Mendoza Martinez is charged with four counts each for distribution and possession with intent to distribute both fentanyl and methamphetamine. He also faces one count for cocaine distribution and possession. Additionally, he is charged with possessing a firearm as an alien unlawfully present in the United States and one count related to promoting unlawful activity using funds from illegal drug sales.
- Pedro Mendoza Martinez has an extra charge for distributing and possessing fentanyl.
- Luque and Mora Sanchez each face another charge involving methamphetamine.
- Quijada Portillo faces additional charges relating to cocaine and methamphetamine distribution as well as promotion of unlawful activity using proceeds from controlled substances.
- Guzman Felix is additionally charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
If convicted on the conspiracy charge alone (count one), each defendant could face up to life in prison.
Authorities emphasized that these charges are allegations at this stage. "The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty."
This case is part of a broader initiative led by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), which was created under Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF brings together multiple federal agencies—including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), FBI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CI, USPIS, USMS, DSS, USCIS/ICE/ERO—and works alongside U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Their goal is to target criminal cartels and transnational organizations operating within or affecting the United States.
The prosecution is being handled by the Transnational Organized Crime and Money Laundering Section within the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Colorado.
Case Number: 26-CR-27-DDD
