Driver in drug trafficking case who surprised Eagle County officer with random question sentenced to 7 years
Pedro Corral-Leon, 22, of Yakima, Washington, was sentenced to seven years in the Colorado Department of Corrections on Wednesday in district court for his role in a drug trafficking operation that led to his arrest in Eagle County in June.
Corral-Leon was the driver of a vehicle that was traveling through Eagle County carrying 18 pounds of cocaine mixed with fentanyl, along with 500 rounds of 9mm ammunition and three weapon magazines.
Corral-Leon was charged with numerous felonies including the unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and conspiracy with a controlled substance. Corral-Leon on Wednesday pled guilty to conspiring with Rafael Zazueta to sell or distribute between 14 and 225 grams of cocaine mixed with fentanyl. Zazueta also pled guilty and was sentenced in December.
Corral-Leon and Zazueta were traveling in a black Hyundai Elantra on June 19, headed eastbound on Interstate 70 between Dotsero and Gypsum at about 1 p.m. when the vehicle caught the attention of Eagle County Sheriff Deputy Evan Jaramillo, a member of the Gore Range Narcotics Task Force, who was traveling behind them. Jaramillo is the handler of a German Shepard dog imported from Germany named Zane. The dog is trained to detect the odor of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine.
When a vehicle in front of Corral-Leon activated its hazard lights and pulled onto the shoulder of the roadway, Corral-Leon did not get over into the left lane, Jaramillo noted, even though Colorado requires a lane change for disabled or stationary vehicles with emergency or hazard lights on.
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Corral-Leon also swerved outside of his lane several times, and when Jaramillo initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, Corral-Leon showed no indication of stopping for approximately 10 seconds, according to an arrest affidavit issued for Zazueta and Corral-Leon.
In questioning Corral-Leon, Jaramillo said he was asked a return question that he had never received in his 15 years as an officer.
“Leon randomly asked me if the dog bites,” Jaramillo noted in the affidavit. “I said yes. … I have never been asked if my dog bites and the question was completely out of context with what we had been discussing.”
Nevertheless, the question led to further discussion between Corral-Leon and Jaramillo.
“Briefly Leon and I spoke about dogs and how he had a dog that was attacked by a German Shepard,” Jaramillo said.
The question heightened Jaramillo’s awareness for the remainder of the interaction, he said.
“I felt that Leon was trying to get a feel for his situation and seeing if fleeing or fighting was an option,” Jaramillo said.
Twenty-two minutes into the traffic stop, Jaramillo issued Corral-Leon a warning and told him he was free to leave. But he also asked Corral-Leon if it was OK to ask him some more questions, and Corral-Leon agreed. Jaramillo asked several questions about where and when they were traveling and also asked him if it was OK to search the vehicle. Corral-Leon agreed to the search and signed a consent to search form. Zazueta also signed a consent to search form.
Upon searching the vehicle, Jaramillo said he found numerous iPhones; a total of $332 in U.S. currency; some foreign currency; a box of Heaters 9mm handgun ammunition with 500 rounds; three Berretta handgun magazines; an empty food saver box for vacuum packages; seven plastic wrapped and vacuum-sealed packages; multiple cash remitter receipts showing money being sent to Culiacan, Sinaloa; a Culiacan letterman jacket and two passports.
The contents of the vacuum-sealed packages were examined and tested presumptive positive for cocaine and fentanyl, with a total weight of 18.02 pounds.
After pleading guilty on Wednesday, Corral-Leon said, through the aid of a translator, that he was aware that he made a bad decision and was remorseful for what happened.
“But I also believe that people deserve a second chance, so hopefully I’ll get one,” he said.
Assistant District Attorney Chris Ryan said the amount of cocaine mixed with fentanyl was enough to kill thousands of people.
“And that’s a conservative estimate,” Ryan said.
Corral-Leon will receive credit for the 208 days he has already served behind bars.
