Law enforcement officials said Thursday that the arrest of 45-year-old Thomas Swick of Longmont has dealt a severe blow to methamphetamine sales in Boulder and Larimer counties.
Longmont police Sgt. Tim Lewis said Swick was arrested Tuesday after a nine-month investigation by the department’s Special Enforcement Unit.
Lewis said Swick, of 1810 Alpine St., was a major supplier of meth to drug dealers in Boulder and Larimer counties.
The dealers would buy meth from Swick and sell it to customers in northern Colorado communities, Lewis said.
“Arresting him will impact a lot of dealers in this region,” Lewis said.
He said meth sales will be crippled until another illegal operation “is up and running.”
During the course of the probe, investigators found that Swick was acquiring large quantities of meth in Phoenix and bringing it to Longmont.
Swick’s residence was raided by two units of the Longmont Police Department early Tuesday.
Swick and Tess Johnson, 43, were found in the home with Johnson’s adult daughter and granddaughter.
Detectives found marijuana, meth and cocaine on nightstands and desks in easy reach of the child, Lewis said.
The child was released to her mother, and they were permitted to return home.
Detectives said they found 86.9 grams of meth; 9 grams of cocaine; 3.6 grams of Psilocybin mushrooms; and marijuana, Ecstasy, Fentanyl and other narcotic analgesics.
Cash also was seized.
Lewis said only the meth was being sold. The other drugs were for use by household members, he said.
Swick and Johnson are being held on several drug charges and a charge of child abuse.
Staff writer Howard Pankratz can be reached at 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
