Aurora Man Sentenced to 10.5 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

 

DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Eber Uriel Perez-Ramirez, age 29, of Aurora, CO, was sentenced to 10.5 years in federal prison following his prior guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846.

According to the plea agreement and court documents, the defendant acted as a lieutenant in a drug trafficking organization from October of 2019 until February 12, 2020, when he was arrested by agents working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation assigned to the Denver OCDETF Strike Force.  The drug trafficking organization brought to Colorado large quantities of illegal drugs from Mexico, including methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl.  The organization employed a network of interstate load runners, local couriers, multi-pound drug customers, and lieutenants, including the defendant, to coordinate its activities.  

On three occasions between October 15, 2019 and December 5, 2019, the defendant delivered pound quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with the FBI.  The defendant also monitored the interstate transportation of a load run of narcotics between October 21 through October 23, 2019.  Specifically, he delivered a real-time report to the organization concerning Utah law enforcement actions regarding the load vehicle.  Ultimately, the load — 53 pounds of methamphetamine — was transferred to another vehicle, which was stopped by the Colorado State Patrol in Colorado. 

Additionally, on January 22, 2020, the defendant sought to pick up a package containing more than five kilograms of methamphetamine that was being held at a leasing office in Denver, Colorado.  The FBI seized the package before the defendant was able to retrieve it.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to making communities safer by prosecuting members of drug trafficking organizations,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matt Kirsch.  “Together with our law enforcement partners, we are working to disrupt these organizations by making drug traffickers face significant jail time.”

“Friday’s sentencing of Perez-Ramirez is a direct result of the dedication and collaboration by FBI Denver and our partners to combat drug trafficking organizations who distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl in our communities. The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force will aggressively investigate individuals and groups who further the scourge of drugs in our community,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. “FBI Denver would like to extend our appreciation to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, DEA, HSI, ICE ERO, IRS and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for sharing their resources and expertise to fight dangerous drug trafficking organizations and bringing them to justice.”

“HSI working with the OCDETF task force helped disrupt a transnational drug trafficking organization with direct ties to a Mexican cartel that sought to bring illegal drugs into Colorado,” said Steven Cagen, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Denver. “Strong partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies are critical to identifying and dismantling criminal enterprises that profit from illicit drugs. We’re grateful to the United States Attorney’s Office for ensuring Perez-Ramirez faced justice.”

“This sentencing is another step toward a safer community.  Not only is Perez-Ramirez going to prison for his crimes but the government seized a significant amount of narcotics and kept them off the streets of Colorado,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Andy Tsui.  “IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of illegal narcotics and bring these drug traffickers to justice.”

United States District Court Judge Raymond Moore sentenced Perez-Ramirez on April 23, 2021.

Agents and deputies assigned to the Strike Force from the FBI, ICE ERO, HSI, IRS, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation and were assisted by officers and deputies from the Colorado State Patrol and the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus Chung handled the prosecution of the case.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.