Pueblo man sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for drug and weapons charges

A Pueblo felon was sentenced to 190 months behind federal bars on drug and weapon charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. 

Kenneth Lawrence Baca, 44, pleaded guilty to the charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and felony possession of a firearm. 

Pueblo police were investigating Baca after receiving information from an anonymous tipster of the defendant selling large amounts of narcotics in the area, according to the plea agreement. 

An undercover detective messaged Baca, requesting drugs via Facebook messenger as the defendant agreed to sell the agent heroin and methamphetamine. Both parties agreed to meet at Baca's hotel room for the transaction. 

Surveillance cameras were set up in the parking lot of the motel and observed Baca pulling in. It was reported that Baca was driving without a license, registration or a front license plate. 

Officers conducted a traffic stop and based on Baca's criminal history, decided to search him for weapons. Baca admitted to having a pistol in his possession and was immediately taken into custody.

Authorities finalized the search and discovered a backpack containing methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, a digital scale, $1,746 in U.S. currency, a notebook that appeared to be a drug ledger, and a wallet containing Baca's identification cards, according to the affidavit. 

Officers proceeded to search the motel room registered to Baca as officers recovered fentanyl, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, a suspected drug ledger, and $1,018 in U.S. currency. 

According to the affidavit, at the time Baca possessed the firearm and ammunition, he was on supervised release after serving time in prison for a previous felon-in-possession conviction.

This defendant repeatedly committed crimes with no regard for the law. The fact that the defendant was on supervised release when he committed these crimes exemplifies this solemn reality. This sentence achieves the goals of deterring such criminal conduct, while simultaneously protecting our community from drugs and weapons," U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan said. 

Judge Regina M. Rodriguez sentenced the defendant on Feb. 1. 

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations Denver Division and the Pueblo Police Department. 

The prosecution was handled by assistant U.S. attorney Daniel Warhola and the Transnational Organized Crime and Money Laundering Section of the U.S. Attorney's Office.