Kansas Man Caught With Over 14 Pounds Of Meth In Colorado
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) -- A Jefferson County jury deliberated only 40 minutes before finding Kansas resident Jose Chavez-Tellez guilty of being in possession of over 14 pounds of methamphetamine.
Chavez-Tellez and his wife, Rhonda Chavez-Tellez, were traveling eastbound though Jefferson County on I-70 when they stopped at a truck stop at Ward Road and 44th Avenue on Jan. 2.
After leaving the truck stop, Chavez-Tellez struck a curb, popping both tires on the passenger side of the vehicle.
A Jefferson County Sheriff's deputy noticed Chavez-Tellez backing eastbound in the westbound lanes of 52nd avenue with two flat tires, and the deputy stopped Chavez-Tellez to offer aid.
Prosecutors say the deputy found a large amount of methamphetamine in a shopping bag in the back cargo area of the car. There were 14.65 pounds, or 6,644 grams, of methamphetamine divided into 15 baggies.
The street value of the methamphetamine was approximately $350,000.
Prosecutors say they had driven to Los Angeles to pick up the methamphetamine and were returning to Kansas.
Jose Chavez-Tellez, 48, was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute nearly 15 pounds of methamphetamine. He will be sentenced on Oct. 29 and faces a mandatory minimum of 8 to 32 years in prison.
Rhonda Chavez-Tellez, 52, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to six years in prison.
