Montrose, COLO.—The application period is now open for the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office Citizens’ Academy. The academy starts Wednesday, Oct. 5, and will continue for 12 weeks with a graduation ceremony in December.   

“The academy is a great way for residents to learn more about the way the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office helps protect and serve our community,” said Sergeant Steve Gustin. “This hands-on experience provides participants knowledge of procedures, policies, and information on supporting agencies including both dispatch and the posse.”

The classes will be held for 12 weeks, every Wednesday, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Training will take place at the MCSO—1200 North Grand Avenue—in the conference room.

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age to attend. The comprehensive instruction will cover a wide variety of law enforcement issues each week including the following: Sheriff’s Posse, Traffic Stops, DUI Investigation, Response to Resistance, Investigations, Crime Scene and Evidence Collection, Less Lethal, Records & Civil Process, Reception, Victim Services, Procurement, Peer Support, Drug Investigations, Recruitment and Hiring, Field Training Program, K9, SWAT, WestCo Dispatch, and Detentions.   

Applications are available online or in person at the MCSO (1200 North Grand) during regular business hours.  For more information, please contact Sergeant Gustin at 970-252-4023 or sgustin@montrosecounty.net. 

As originally posted on the United States Attorney Offices District of Colorado website.

Denver – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Omar Briceno-Quijano, age 31, of Montrose, Colorado, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

According to the plea agreement, between January 1, 2019, and December 18, 2019, Briceno-Quijano was mainly located in Mexico and was involved in sending illegal narcotics from Mexico to the western slope of Colorado, to include Montrose, Colorado. Once the narcotics were in the United States and Colorado, the defendant would receive telephone calls from drug customers. Once the defendant had the drug order, he would contact a drug courier, who would deliver the narcotics to the customer. One way the defendant received drug proceeds was through electronic wire transfers of funds from Colorado to Mexico.

Judge Christine M. Arguello sentenced Briceno-Quijano on July 14, 2022. In addition to 14 years in prison, he will serve a term of five years of supervised release.

“This defendant was a ring-leader in a major drug trafficking operation, impacting a small community in Colorado,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “This was a lengthy prosecution that involved 13 defendants. This significant sentence demonstrates our commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to keep offenders from dealing drugs on our streets.”

“IRS:CI special agents are uniquely trained to trace financial transactions and use this expertise to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations,” said Andy Tsui, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Denver Field Office. “Omar Briceno-Quijano’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes and IRS:CI’s commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of drugs into and drug proceeds out of the United States.”

“This sentencing proves that DEA and our law enforcement partners are aggressively committed to disrupting the flow of dangerous drugs into our communities by stopping it at the source, whether here or abroad,” said Brian Besser, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Denver Field Office. “I applaud our Agents and Task Force officers who were able to stay the course on an extensive investigation and successful prosecution, as well as the U.S. Marshals who ultimately apprehended Briceno-Quijano in Mexico.”

IRS-CI, DEA Rocky Mountain Division-Montrose Post of Duty, the Montrose Police Department, the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office, and the Seventh Judicial District Drug Task Force, and the United States Marshals Service investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Duncan and Zachary Phillips handled the prosecution.

This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Case number: 19-cr-00535

Montrose, COLO.— Sheriff Gene Lillard has removed fire restrictions effective immediately for all of unincorporated Montrose County. The decision was based on fuel moisture measurements in vegetation, predicated weather, and the predicted outlook for wildland fire potential.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to use caution when burning. Please make sure to have water and shovels readily available when burning and always call dispatch at 970-249-9110 before and after burning. 

The decision was made alongside partner agencies including federal lands, weather partners, and surrounding counties in order to avoid confusion when recreating in the region. Please know before you go and visit westslopefireinfo.com for information on restrictions in surrounding areas and the latest fire-related information. To learn more about campfire safety, please visit www.smokeybear.com. 

In early June, the Montrose Board of County Commissioners passed Resolution 43-2022 authorizing the sheriff to implement and lift fire restrictions as needed throughout the year. 

For more information on fire restrictions, please visit westslopefireinfo.com.