A Boulder District Court judge on Friday sentenced one of 16 suspects accused of being part of a major drug ring.

Judge Andrew Hartman sentenced Carlos Ytuarte-Quinones to 51 years in prison on two counts of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl, attempted first-degree kidnapping and countless other charges, according to the Boulder District Attorney’s Office.

Carlos Ytuarte-Quinones was one of 16 people arrested following a four-month investigation by the Boulder County Drug Task Force in 2023, officials said. 

The investigation found a drug operation that trafficked about 30 pounds of suspected fentanyl, 25 pounds of methamphetamine, 2.46 pounds of heroin and 0.36 pounds of cocaine, the prosecutor’s office said in a news release.

A Boulder County Grand Jury indicted all 16 suspects on various charges on May 19, 2023. Eight members of the enterprise were indicted on charges of violating the organized crime law and five were also indicted on attempted kidnapping, robbery and aggravated motor vehicle theft.

One defendant remains at large, authorities said.

Twelve of the 16 members have been sentenced, ranging from 18 months probation to 51 years, depending on the charges.

“As reflected by the large amount of drugs recovered and their monetary value, the Drug Task Force shut down a major drug ring,” District Attorney Michael Dougherty said in the news release. “Today’s sentence is a direct result of tireless efforts, collaboration, and a shared commitment to doing justice and upholding the rule of law. I am grateful to all those who worked on this important, serious case.”