ACET makes meth arrest
Suspect allegedly sold drugs out of office
June 26, 2008
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Craig — The All Crimes Enforcement Team arrested a Moffat County Social Services employee at her Dinosaur residence Wednesday on suspicion of distributing methamphetamine.
Carla Roloff, 57, who has worked for Social Services since 1996, allegedly sold methamphetamine while at work in the department’s Dinosaur office, an ACET news release reported.
“The charges stem from one of several undercover purchases of methamphetamine,” the release states. “It is alleged that one of the undercover purchases occurred at the Moffat County Department of Social Services office in Dinosaur while she was on duty.”
Roloff was arrested on suspicion of unlawful distribution of a Schedule 2 controlled substance, a Class 3 felony. As of Wednesday evening, she had not been formally charged.
ACET Taskforce Commander Garrett Wiggins said Roloff was not a large drug supplier but was a big factor in Dinosaur’s methamphetamine issues.
“She was a major contributor to the meth problem in that area,” he said.
Roloff appeared Wednesday in Moffat County Court for a bond advisement hearing, where bail was set at $25,000.
Roloff said she would bond out Wednesday. Judge Sandra Gardner set a first appearance date for Roloff to face charges in her case for 8:30 a.m. July 15.
Roloff asked the court for a personal recognizance bond. She said she has lived in Dinosaur for 40 years and wouldn’t leave.
Matthew Barrett, deputy district attorney for the 14th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, objected to Roloff’s request, citing her prior criminal history and the amount of methamphetamine sold to an undercover source.
The judge agreed with Barrett’s recommendation.
Barrett said Roloff had previous convictions, including fraud and larceny.
He added Roloff allegedly sold about $1,000 worth of methamphetamine in two deals with an undercover buyer.
Both instances were caught on video and audio, Barrett said.
The District Attorney’s Office has until June 30 to file formal charges.
Social Services Director Marie Peer said she was at a loss on how to react to Roloff’s charges.
“This is a horrible thing,” she said. “I am very, very glad that they were able to discover this, if it proves to be true. Selling or using drugs is totally against everything Social Services stands for.”
Peer said her office’s primary focus now is to find a way to staff the Dinosaur office for local residents.
Roloff was the only Social Services employee who worked in Dinosaur. Her job was mainly to take people’s information, help them sort out different program eligibility requirements and fax applications to the Craig office.
Peer said preliminary plans are to send one Social Services staff member one day a week to Dinosaur. She added the department expects to rotate different technicians to go out so residents could speak directly with someone knowledgeable about their specific case or need.
She added that if Roloff were acquitted of charges, the county would have to look at the facts to see if she would remain employed.
Moffat County Commissioner Tom Gray, who is the commission’s liaison for Social Services, said he was surprised and saddened by the news. However, his confidence in county employees remains high.
“We have a good staff,” he said. “If it’s true, it doesn’t shake my faith in our county employees.
“It’s just unfortunate. It’s a symptom of the real problem. The real problem is drugs and their distribution.”
Others also arrested
ACET arrested Cody Jones, 19, and Travis Johnson, 19, on Tuesday on suspicion of distributing cocaine.
Both were booked under a charge of unlawful distribution of a Schedule 2 controlled substance, a Class 3 felony.
None of the cases involving Roloff, Jones or Johnson were linked, Wiggins said.
He added Jones and Johnson were thought to be “street-level” dealers, and not “the top of the totem pole.”
Jones and Johnson also appeared Wednesday in County Court for bond advisements. Bail in both cases was set at $20,000, the state’s recommended amount for a Class 3 felony.
Barrett asked for $50,000 bond for Johnson, saying the defendant had two other cases pending in the court system, one relating to theft and the other methamphetamine use.
Barrett added there was video and audio evidence of Johnson distributing a controlled substance and there was a high likelihood for conviction.
The District Attorney’s Office has until June 30 to file official charges in both cases. If Jones and Johnson are unable to post bail, their first appearance dates were set for 11 a.m. July 1.
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26 June 2008 at 8:58 a.m.
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50cal (Anonymous) says…
OMG. you can get convicted of larceny and fraud (I think those are felonys) and still get a job with social services? I'm sure she did know how to help them sign up for all their entitlements.
26 June 2008 at 12:02 p.m.
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freeman (Anonymous) says…
you would be suprised,,,,,maybe,,,,,,,,of all the felony convicted people that do work in county positions….but when you go to apply for a job with the county,,,they say (hr—courthouse} that say….. they have a policy that states no prior convictions………….but when you ask them why …L–— says i cannot tell you …….what a bunch of s—t
26 June 2008 at 5:58 p.m.
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50cal (Anonymous) says…
well being a county employee is like being on wellfare I suppose most have been on it one time or another. (if your one of the good ones then I don't want to hear your sniveling I help pay your wages)
26 June 2008 at 6:08 p.m.
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freeman (Anonymous) says…
well i should say sniveling is one thing i dont believe in,,,,,one thing i do believe in is doing my job and thanking everybody who stands up to paying there taxes
26 June 2008 at 6:09 p.m.
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50cal (Anonymous) says…
I couldn't agree more
26 June 2008 at 10:42 p.m.
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grannyrett (Anonymous) says…
Is it just me or does it seem that the drug arrests have gone way up since gramnet disbanded and they formed ACET? Does it have anything to do with Steamboat pulling out of it? These guys have made some really big arrests this year.
6 July 2008 at 10:04 a.m.
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freeman (Anonymous) says…
the grape vine says that they get 30 calls a day about meth dealers,,,,why no results?????
6 July 2008 at 10:48 a.m.
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redneckgirl (Anonymous) says…
They might get 30 calls a day about this person selling or that person selling but i think they take a lot of time investigating so that they can go after the bigger dealers, not just the smaller ones. Who knows…
7 July 2008 at 6:50 p.m.
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freeman (Anonymous) says…
i totally agree,,,there is alot of time in finding the source,,a lot of time
7 July 2008 at 9:55 p.m.
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50cal (Anonymous) says…
treat the users bust the dealers