Two Mexican nationals have been sentenced to U.S. federal prison for growing marijuana in Routt National Forest near Steamboat Springs.
Alfonso Rodriguez-Vazquez and Nestor Fabian Sinaloa-Sinaloa were indicted by a federal grand jury Sept. 28. The pair later pleaded guilty after being charged in the case, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Colorado, in a news release Monday.
Both men were sentenced earlier this month in Denver by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Marcia S. Krieger.
Sinaloa-Sinaloa was sentenced March 7 to 33 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Rodriguez-Vazquez was sentenced March 8 to 30 months in prison, also followed by three years of supervised release.
Both are in custody.
The two men were convicted of maintaining a ¾-acre illegal grow site in the Buffalo Pass area of Routt National Forest, northeast of Steamboat Springs, prosecutors said.
Authorities seized 926 marijuana plants and removed camping gear from the site. The Forest Service also cleaned up trash and other items, the release said. Law enforcement found the grow site after suspicious activity was reported to the U.S. Forest Service.
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822, knicholson@denverpost.com or @kierannicholson
