From the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office:
GRAND JUNCTION, CO – On March 4, 2025, a Deputy with the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office observed a vehicle driving slowly on eastbound I-70. A short distance later, the Deputy witnessed the car change lanes erratically, prompting the Deputy to perform a traffic stop near mile marker 17 on I-70.
The driver was identified as 35-year-old Jesus Enrique Leon Villa of Mexico. He was found to be driving without a license and admitted to possessing illegal drug paraphernalia. With this admission, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Deputy was able to search the car and located four brick-style packages concealed in the vehicle which field tested positive as cocaine.
In total, the packages weighed 5.1 kilograms and the estimated street value of the narcotics is around $152,000.
Mr. Leon Villa was placed into custody and was booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility on the following charges:
- Dist/Man/Poss w/Intent > 225G Sch I/II or > 112G Meth, Heroin, Ketamine, Cathinone, or > 50MG of Flunitrazipam – Drug Felony 1
- Special Circumstances Import > 14G Sch I/II or 7G Meth, Heroin, Ketamine, Cathinone, or > 10MG of Flunitrazepam – Drug Felony 1
