UPDATE #1: Search Warrant Operations Metro Area: Oct. 22

Boulder County, Colo. - As of Oct. 22, at approximately 8:45 a.m., SWAT operations have concluded, and all search warrant sites secured for operations conducted in the following areas:

• 14000 block of N. Pecos St., unincorporated Adams County
• 3500 block of W. 64th, unincorporated Adams County
• 16000 block of 104th, unincorporated Adams County
• 15000 block of Huron St., unincorporated Adams County
• 3500 block of E. 160th, unincorporated Adams County
• 3700 block of Owens St., Wheat Ridge
• 8900 block of Federal Blvd., Federal Heights
• 400 block of Gateway Dr., Johnstown
• 2100 block of 21st, unincorporated Boulder County.

All tactical operations concluded safely, and there is no threat to the public. The case remains an active investigation. Several arrests were made this morning; additional details concerning the arrests will be outlined by the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office when appropriate. We anticipate that the District Attorney’s Office will issue a press release and the indictment by this afternoon.

During this morning’s operations, there were no reported injuries. There were traffic impacts at some of the search warrant locations to safely carry out law enforcement operations.

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Original Press Release Oct. 22, 7:33 a.m.

Search Warrant Operations Metro Area: Oct. 22

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of multiple law enforcement partners, executed nine search warrants this morning, Oct. 22, at locations in unincorporated Boulder and Adams Counties, and the cities of Denver, Westminster, Wheat Ridge, Federal Heights and Johnstown. The case originated out of the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and remains an active investigation.

Patrol, tactical, investigators and support personnel from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Ault Police Department, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Boulder County Drug Task Force, Boulder Police Department, Broomfield Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, Commerce City Police Department, Erie Police Department, FBI-Denver, Federal Heights Police Department, Fort Collins Police Department, Golden Police Department, Hudson Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Johnstown Police Department, Lafayette Police Department, Lakewood Police Department, Longmont Public Safety, Louisville Police Department, Loveland Police Department, Thornton Police Department, West Metro Drug Task Force, Westminster Police Department and Wheat Ridge Police Department began operations at 7:00 a.m., executing search warrants at seven residences and two storage lockers. These efforts were coordinated and planned to be executed safely and professionally.

Given this is a grand jury case, the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office has issued the following statement:

“Judicially approved warrants are being carried out as part of a Grand Jury investigation conducted by the District Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement. That criminal case will be prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Office. Once the indictments are unsealed and the appropriate individuals are in custody, the District Attorney’s Office will issue a press release and release the grand jury indictment.”

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is the lead public information unit for today’s field operations, having set up a Joint Information Center (JIC), inside the Boulder County Emergency Operations Center, with communicators from involved agencies present in the JIC to streamline communications to the media and local communities impacted by law enforcement operations. Any inquiries related to the grand jury investigation should be directed to the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office at scarbone@bouldercounty.gov

As part of our commitment to transparency, we want to emphasize that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is not involved in this operation.

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office can be reached at SheriffPIO@bouldercounty.gov or by calling the Public Information Unit at 303-441-1500. The Sheriff’s Office remains the primary public information source for the overall operation, except for matters specific to the grand jury investigation carried out by the District Attorney’s Office.

We appreciate the public’s patience as operations continue.

As in every criminal case, these charges are merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.