Local suspects in drug bust to be arraigned in July in district court

Charged with conspiracy

[ By Mark Reaman ]

The names and charges filed of those arrested last week in a countywide drug bust have been released along with what was confiscated by local law enforcement. According to the Crested Butte Marshal’s Office, two Gunnison residents and one Crested Butte person were taken into custody Wednesday morning, June 9.

Thirty-six-year-old Oliver W. Loring was arrested at his residence on Maroon Avenue during the bust. In Gunnison, 40-year-old Martin J. Karrer and 51-year-old Annie T. Lavelle were also arrested on warrants for being a special offender for conspiracy with one or more persons to engage in a pattern of manufacturing, sale and dispensing a controlled substance.

As reported last week, members from the Crested Butte Marshal’s Office, the Mt. Crested Butte Police Department, Gunnison Police Department, the 7th Judicial Drug Task Force, the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office and the DEA executed multiple narcotic related search and arrest warrants throughout Gunnison County. Crested Butte chief marshal Mike Reily said the Marshal’s Office investigation that resulted in the seizure of guns, cash and narcotics has been ongoing since February.

The county raids were not related to any national drug investigation. “This was a local investigation stemming from prior investigations,” explained Reily. “Because we had to serve all four warrants simultaneously (so they wouldn’t tip each other off), we asked for and received outside law enforcement help.”

Reily said law enforcement confiscated roughly 10 ounces of psilocybin (mushrooms), 4-5 grams of cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy tablets), suspected opioid pills, several strips of LSD (acid), suspected methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, $4,500 in cash and two handguns.

The defendants were given an initial arraignment date of July 7 at 9 a.m. in Gunnison District Court.