Steamboat Pilot & Today

The case against a man accused of selling cocaine and methamphetamine near Soda Creek Elementary School has been set for a preliminary hearing.

Cosme Orlando Lopez, 22, of Steamboat Springs, has been charged with distribution of a Schedule 2 controlled substance, a Class 3 felony.

Lopez is being charged along with his roommate, Jesus Alvarez-Frias, 44. The two were arrested by Grand, Routt and Moffat Narcotics Enforcement Team officers in June at their home in the 600 block of Pahwintah Street.

GRAMNET officers search--ed the home and found 13 grams of cocaine and 12 grams of methamphetamine in a safe in the home, according to police. The officers also found some drugs in a coat pocket in one of the closets in the home. No weapons were found at the time of the search.

The meth the officers found appeared to be packaged for distribution, police said. The men were the only people living in the home. Alvarez-Frias and Lopez are facing more severe penalties in this case because they were distributing the drugs less than 200 feet from an elementary school.

Public defender Trevor McFee told Judge James Garrecht that he was unable to reach a disposition in Lopez's case and therefore requested a preliminary hearing. Garrecht granted the request and set the preliminary hearing for 11 a.m. July 27.

Alvarez-Frias appeared in Routt County Court last week, when his case was bound over to District Court. Alvarez-Frias will appear at 10 a.m. Aug 26.

The case against a man accused of possessing and manufacturing methamphetamine also was heard in court Wednesday.

Jamison Fjoser, 30, of Den--ver, is facing 12 charges, including three counts of possession of a Schedule 2 controlled substance, possession of a Schedule 2 controlled substance with the intent to distribute and possession of a forgery device with intent to use.

Officers originally stopped Fjoser in March for having two different license plates on his vehicle. During the stop, officers found various chemicals, substances and tools that are commonly associated with the production of meth. Fjoser was arrested on suspicion of manufacturing, possessing, distributing and using meth.

Fjoser is facing separate charges in Arapahoe County.

The last time Fjoser was in court in June, McFee was trying to reach a resolution on all the charges, including the out-of-county charges that are complicating the case.

Fjoser's case has been in the court system for an extended period of time, which Garrecht said concerned him.

Garrecht asked McFee how Fjoser's case is progressing because it is nearing the 90-day limit.

McFee said that although the case is progressing, it is going slowly because he still is in the process of discovery and because the case is very "unorganized."

"I am afraid it might be taking a little longer," McFee said.

Garrecht decided to continue the case to 1 p.m. July 27.