Suspected drug dealer caught after 2 months on the run

RIVERTON (WNE) — Two days after the Federal Bureau of Investigations offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of an Ethete man, he was located and taken  into custody.

Collie Judson Warren, 49, of Ethete now faces charges of distributing methamphetamine after he was allegedly involved in a drug deal that led to the arrest of a Mexican national in Kinnear believed to have ties to a transnational drug trafficking organization.  The arrest of the Mexican national – Oscar Espinoza Duart – in February made a splash when a slew of federal agencies including Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials collaborated in Fremont County on the sting.

And while Warren was initially in their sights, the federal law enforcement agents somehow lost the suspect. The FBI asked for the public’s help in locating Warren, which is unusual, back in early March. On April 8, the FBI offered a $5,000 reward in his case – also atypical in federal Fremont County cases.

Two days later, according to a statement by the FBI Denver field office, Warren was taken into custody in Arapahoe by members of the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force.

Agents were monitoring Duart’s residence near Kinnear on February 6 when they reportedly saw Warren drive up in a white pickup. According to federal charging documents, Warren left after about 20 minutes armed with a red package, which was later found to contain more than two pounds of methamphetamine.

Warren made his initial court appearance in federal court on Friday in Lander. He and Duarte both face a single felony count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine.

This story was published on April 12, 2025.