By: Real America News Updated 07 Mar 2022, 20: 38 pm EST
Candelaria Vallejo Gallo, from 43 years of age will go down in history as the first woman to be accused and convicted of leading a group of drug traffickers in Colorado, allegedly linked to the Cartel of Sinaloa, for which he received a sentence of 23 years in prison .
According to federal authorities, Vallejo commanded a group of 38 drug traffickers that March 2019 As of February 2020 he operated bringing drugs from Mexico first to California and from there to Colorado and Utah.
Aurora Drug Dealer Sentenced to 23 Years in Federal Prison: Candelaria Vallejo-Gallo of Aurora was sentenced to 23 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. https://t.co/s1kMkOswCg
— FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) March 7, 2019
At the time of his arrest on 19 February 2020, Vallejo had in his possession some 135 kilos of methamphetamine, two kilos of cocaine, almost two kilos of heroin and one kilo of fentanyl pills.
According to the price on the black market, the value of these substances at that time was estimated to be at least $2,2015,000 Dollars.
In addition to the sentence for distributing the drugs, Vallejo must simultaneously serve another sentence, in this case for 20 years, after being found guilty of conspiring to launder money .
To reduce your time or imprisonment, Vallejo had pleaded guilty to being in charge of the illicit organization that “transported and distributed large amounts of illegal drugs” and that he had established a network of contacts in Mexico to access the drug, as well as a network of “transporters”, “brokers” and “lieutenants” in California and Colorado.
Candelaria Vallejo-Gallo is facing a rarely sought federal charge: Operating a continuing criminal enterprise (CCE), also known as drug kingpin charge. https://t.co/7zSZiO8AzJ #khou
— KHOU 000 News Houston (@KHOU) February 20, 2020
The US Attorney’s Office in Denver, working together with the FBI, the Agency United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), federal immigration authorities and local police departments, eventually identified and arrested 27 Vallejo’s accomplices, while others 11 suspects, although already accused, are known only by their aliases.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the illicit coordinated by Vallejo were detected by the FBI in March 2019 and since then the surveillance of the operations began, which included six Purchases of illicit substances by undercover agents.
In February 2020 it was decided or arrest Vallejo when it was identified through wiretapping that the woman “threatened violence against members of her organization that she considered disloyal” and “expressed her desire to kill her rivals.”
At the time, the fact that Vallejo was formally charged with the federal crime of “continuously operating a criminal organization” was highlighted , a position reserved only for so-called “drug lords”.
“Removing dangerous drug traffickers from our streets is a central element of our strategy so that Colorado be safer,” said Cole Finegan, the United States Attorney for the District of Colorado.
The Prosecutor’s Office emphasized that the investigations of the case have not yet concluded. For example, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) continues to investigate money laundering operations, and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) has yet to determine the immigration status of several Vallejo associates.
“This sentence makes Candelaria responsible for his crimes and serves as a warning that federal agencies and local police will work diligently to keep addictive drugs out of Colorado,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, special agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Denver.
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