A Mexican national who coordinated cocaine trafficking and the movement of money across the border for a drug organization was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison today.
Saul Saucedo, 48, was indicted in 2003 for his involvement in the drug trafficking organization that was based on a ranch in Peyton, Colorado.
He was extradited by Mexican authorities to U.S. in January 2007 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money in October.
U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn handed down Saucedo’s sentence and ordered him to pay a $300,000 fine.
Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a group using a 500-acre Peyton ranch in March 2002 as a base of operations to transport large shipments of cocaine and drug proceeds on tractor-trailers from Mexico to points across the U.S.
Saucedo was responsible for the movement of money and running certain cells of the organization in several U.S. cities. Authorities have seized about 5,000 pounds of cocaine and $11 million in drug proceeds so far in the investigation.
Once the cocaine was sold, the drug proceeds were collected and often transported back to the Peyton ranch. Up to $2.5 million in cash at a time would be collected and transported by the couriers at the ranch.
From the ranch, the money was delivered to drug kingpins in Mexico.
While the ranch in Peyton was considered a major shipment point for drugs and money, the organization ran cells in Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Denver and Greeley.
