Alleged drug syndicate boss may lose home

Federal prosecutors have filed a forfeiture lawsuit seeking to seize an upscale Thornton home owned by an alleged drug syndicate boss, claiming drug operations were conducted in the home.

Richard “Richy Rich” Martinez and his girlfriend, Jessica Rojas, bought the home at 10021 E. 145th Ave. on Nov. 9 for $737,000 with a $110,000 down payment, according to Adams County property records. Federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents identified “Richy Rich” as Martinez’s alias in court records.

The home purchase came while DEA agents were in vestigating a widescale drug trafficking syndicate allegedly headed by Martinez. Agents identified Martinez in court records as a drug “boss” and the “source of supply of large amounts of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine” and prescription drugs, with ties to Mexico, court records say.

Martinez, 35, was arrested March 22 on federal probation violations and on felony drug charges in Adams County, according to Adams County District Court records.

Martinez’s organization, with a pipeline to Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, distributed bulk amounts of prescription pills, methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin to communities in northern Colorado, the civil lawsuit filed Monday says.

DEA agents using surveillance cameras documented drug deals originating out of the Thornton home between January and March of this year, court records say. On March 22, agents served a search warrant on the house and discovered items linked to narcotics trafficking, including $4,563 in cash, a men’s Rolex watch, six cellphones, a digital scale and an electronic money counter, court records say.

In a separate lawsuit, federal authorities are seeking a federal court order to seize a Commerce City home known as “The Castle” at 9849 Jasper St. Martinez bought the home for $326,000 in 2004.