SPOKANE, WA – A 45-year-old man from Guerrero, Mexico, identified as a key figure in a transnational drug trafficking operation with connections to the Jalisco Cartel, has been sentenced to 19 years in federal prison.
Luis Esquivel-Bolanos, also known as “Colorado,” was convicted by a jury in April 2025 on multiple drug and firearms charges. U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice also ordered five years of supervised release following his prison term.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, Esquivel-Bolanos played a central role in distributing large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine across Eastern Washington and Montana, including several tribal reservations. Investigators say he operated under co-defendant Erubey Arciga Medrano, who previously pleaded guilty.
Law enforcement described the organization as violent and controlling. In one case, members threatened to kill a confidential informant, while in another, individuals were sent to intimidate someone suspected of stealing more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine.
A coordinated operation in April 2023 led to the execution of federal search warrants in rural Okanogan County near Oroville, Washington. Authorities seized:
- 161,000 fentanyl-laced pills (including “Mexi-blues” and rainbow-colored varieties)
- 80 pounds of methamphetamine
- 6 pounds of heroin
- Over 2 pounds of cocaine
- 12 firearms
Much of the evidence was found in a trailer where Esquivel-Bolanos was living.
“This case involved one of the largest drug seizures ever in rural Washington,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie Van Marter. “These drugs caused serious harm across our region and especially in our tribal communities.”
Federal and tribal officials praised the collaboration between agencies. The case was prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program.
Twenty-seven individuals tied to the drug ring have been convicted in related proceedings in the District of Montana.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, the DEA, the North Central Washington Narcotics Task Force, U.S. Marshals, Customs and Border Protection, and local tribal police departments.
