Man arrested following multi-million dollar drug bust sentenced to nearly 2 decades in prison

By David Mullen July 1, 2021 | updated 5 years ago

“It’s not as simple as just ferreting out overt racism, because … if it’s that overt, we already have checks in place to deal with it,” Colorado Criminal Defense Bar policy coordinator Tristan Gorman said. “It’s the implicit biases that are really more insidious — and again, that’s not about intent, it’s about biases that we all have that we may not even be aware of, that are influencing what we’re doing and saying in the courtroom.” (Getty Images)

A man who was in possession of $2.1 million of cocaine earlier this year was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Monday.

Mario Diaz-Miranda, 28, previously pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance in the 17th Judicial District Court on May 11. Following his prison sentence he will be on parole for three years, according to a release from the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

“This was an extraordinary amount of drugs to get off our streets,” District Attorney Brian Mason said in the release. “Drug traffickers pose a significant danger to this community and we’re working tirelessly to combat them.”

Diaz-Miranda was arrested earlier this year after a “lengthy surveillance operation” performed by the North Metro Drug Task Force.

On Jan. 8, investigators arranged to buy two kilograms of cocaine from Diaz-Miranda in Thornton. He was arrested shortly after the transaction, according to the release.

Investigators searched Diaz-Miranda’s home and located 48 kilograms of cocaine inside the walls of his apartment that totaled $2.1 million.

“It’s not as simple as just ferreting out overt racism, because … if it’s that overt, we already have checks in place to deal with it,” Colorado Criminal Defense Bar policy coordinator Tristan Gorman said. “It’s the implicit biases that are really more insidious — and again, that’s not about intent, it’s about biases that we all have that we may not even be aware of, that are influencing what we’re doing and saying in the courtroom.” (Getty Images)

Tags 17th Judicial District Attorney 17th Judicial District Court Brian Mason bust Cocaine Drugs mario diaz-miranda North Metro Drug Task Force

David Mullen

Reporter