COCAINE RING KINGPIN SENTENCED TO PRISON

DENVER - A Mexican citizen described as a leader of Pueblo's biggest
cocaine ring was sentenced Monday to 4 1/2 years in prison.

Pascual Acosta-Hernandez, 27, had been a fugitive for more than three years
but was caught by Pueblo police in April at a motel on North Elizabeth,
based on a tip to Crime Stoppers.

Acosta-Hernandez was one of at least 74 suspects arrested in November 1998
as the result of a nine-month undercover investigation, Operation Harpoon,
by Pueblo police, sheriff's officers and the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration.

More than 100 law enforcement officers, many clad in bullet-resistant gear,
took part in raids on several homes.

Pueblo police described the drug operation as potentially violent because
of the large sums of money involved. During the investigation, some of the
defendants bought 25 rounds of hollow-point bullets and raced to the home
of a confidential informant they suspected of taking a cache of their
drugs, an undercover agent said.

Authorities said at the time that they seized $1.2 million of drugs, 45
vehicles such as luxury cars and $63,400 in cash.

"Of the indicted defendants, he (Acostas-Hernandez) and Juan Luna-Sanchez
were the ring leaders," the prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert
Troyer, said after the sentencing by U.S. District Judge Wiley Y. Daniel.
Luna is a fugitive, Troyer said.

Shortly after their arrests, Luna and Acosta-Hernandez were released on
$10,000 bonds by U.S. Magistrate Judge O. Edward Schlatter and former
magistrate Bruce Pringle.

The Acosta family was the No. 1 cocaine dealer in Southern Colorado,
Detective Rick Lancendorfer said after the arrests.

Only about 10 of the suspects were charged with federal crimes. Others were
prosecuted in Pueblo District Court.

In 2000, another of the federal defendants, Noe Duran-Hernandez, was
sentenced to 37 months in prison.

Charges against a suspected ring leader, Martin Acosta-Hernandez, were
dismissed after Daniel suppressed evidence, drugs seized by law enforcement
officers. Troyer said the judge suppressed the evidence because authorities
had a warrant that did not authorize them to search for drugs, only for
documents.

Federal charges against Ralph John Valdez and Charlene Acosta were
dismissed so they could be charged in state court. Charges against John
Cordova were dismissed early in the case, Troyer said.

Last week, the remaining federal defendant, Juan Carlos Acosta-Hernandez,
pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry into the United States after
deportation. He and his brother, Pascual, were arrested at the same time at
the motel, Deputy Police Chief John Ercul said.

Juan Carlos is to be sentenced later. Troyer said the drug charges (against
him) had to be dropped because evidence became old with the passing of time.

Pascual is to be deported upon release from prison. He could have been
sentenced to 71 months in prison.

A probation officer and Troyer recommended the 57-month sentence, the
bottom of the sentencing range.