JOINT INVESTIGATION RESULTS IN 38 ARRESTS

PUEBLO - Authorities have made 38 arrests in a citywide sweep of suspects
wanted on drug and weapons charges and allegedly tied to crimes in other
parts of the state.

Agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Pueblo
SWAT teams knocked down doors and rounded up suspects Tuesday in the
investigation named Operation Trident. They are seeking 11 more suspects.

"We called it Operation Trident because of the three prongs of guns, gangs
and drugs," Police Chief Jim Billings said.

Police said they seized 11 illegal weapons and an undisclosed amount of
illegal drugs. Sawed-off shotguns and a rifle equipped with a silencer were
among the weapons.

The roundup began at 8:14 a.m. when police, backed up by ATF agents,
entered a home and arrested Jose Raul Lopez, 24, and Carl Eugene Quintana,
23, on state warrants for alleged distribution of cocaine.

Police Detective Charlie Taylor said Lopez is a known member of the
Bessemer Spruce Locos street gang.

At the back of the house, a pit bull charged SWAT officers and was shot and
killed, police said. Two women and several young children were in the house
during the raid.

The investigation leading to the arrests began in August 2001 when police
said they learned that many of the same dealers selling drugs to undercover
officers also had weapons for sale.

The ATF was able to link Pueblo's illegal gun connections to crimes and gun
thefts throughout Colorado, police said.

"This seemed to be the epicenter of where the guns were being sold," said
ATF agent Rich Marianos.

Their work led to indictments in U.S. District Court last week against
Bernard Florentino Gonzales, 36, Michael Anthony Scanlon, 39, and Richard
Michael Shadblot, 29. All three men were arrested Tuesday on federal
weapons charges along with Jerry Dewayne Grady, 58.

The other 34 suspects arrested on Tuesday were wanted on state drug charges.