FIREFIGHTER, COACH AMONG ARRESTED IN ALLEGED COCAINE RING

Firefighter, coach among arrested in alleged cocaine ring Thirty-five
people, including a retired Denver firefighter and an assistant
baseball coach at Regis University, were part of a gang-affiliated
network that distributed 20 kilograms of Mexican cocaine a week in
metro Denver, the U.S. Attorney's Office said today.

The cocaine was processed by the Sinaloa Cartel in Juarez, Mexico, and
carried to Denver, by way of El Paso, Texas, in secret compartments in
cars and trucks, said John Walsh, the U.S. attorney for Colorado.

Once in Denver, the drugs were sold street level by members of two
Denver gangs, the Tre Deuce Gangster Crips and Northside Mafia, he
said.

"Taking 20 kilograms of cocaine a week off the street puts a
substantial crimp in the flow of cocaine into Colorado," he said.

Twenty kilograms is a little more than 44 pounds.

All but three of the 35 are U.S. residents, he said. That includes
56-year-old David Cordova, a retired firefighter, and Ronald Rocha,
40, a baseball coach at Regis.

Cordova and Rocha were among 23 arrested in a sweep of the metro
region Friday by 150 law enforcement officers from 20 agencies in the
metro region.

Five others were arrested in El Paso, Las Vegas, Nev., Illinois and
Alabama. One was already in police custody and six remain at large,
authorities said at an afternoon press conference.

Each faces 10 years to life in prison and up to $4 million in fines,
if convicted.

Neither Walsh nor other members of the Metro Drug Task Force would
discuss how they cracked the alleged ring and connected its members,
other than to say the investigation began with Robert "Big Smoke"
Thompson, 39, who was arrested in Lakewood on Friday on an indictment
allegeding possession and intent to distribute more than 50 kilograms
of crack cocaine.

Walsh and Jim Davis, the agent in charge of the FBI office in Denver,
credited Metro Gang Task Force and other agences for their work in the
investigation.

"I have never seen a more prolific and more effective task force,
Davis said.

The investigation netted a total of 53 kilograms of cocaine, including
27 kilograms that were intercepted in two traffic stops in Pueblo.
Authorities also confiscated 35 pounds of marijuana, $650,000 in cash,
nine firearms and 15 vehicles, which could be forfeited to the
government upon conviction.