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Ten of 11 people charged earlier this year in connection with a drug distribution ring have been convicted in Moffat County District Court, the most recent coming Thursday night following a jury's verdict.

Charges against the suspects stemmed from an All Crimes Enforcement Team investigation into methamphetamine and cocaine distribution.

The task force arrested the suspects in March.

Nine of the 10 people convicted have been sentenced. Combined, the suspects have been sentenced to 46 years in prison and ordered to pay about $30,000 in fines, costs and restitution, according to court records.

The lengthiest sentences thus far were reserved for three men - Marco Contreras-Alcala, Julio Cesar Carlin-Robles and Edgar Pena-Villava - who pleaded guilty to distribution charges.

They were sentenced to 10 years each in the Department of Corrections, accounting for 30 of the 46 years total.

The three men, along with eight others, were arrested March 25 in Craig.

ACET made three more arrests a day later.

Although the task force arrested 14 people in the distribution case, one of its largest to date, charges against three suspects were dismissed.

The second day arrests were for Vita Pilar Hochreiter, Mallory Dean Johnston and Russell Stewert McDiffett.

Hochreiter pleaded guilty to distribution of a schedule 2 controlled substance and was sentenced to six years in prison. Johnston pleaded to attempted distribution of a schedule 2 controlled substance and was sentenced to three years in DOC.

Thursday night, the second day of his trial, a jury found McDiffett guilty of distribution of a schedule 2 controlled substance, a Class 3 felony. The sentencing range for a Class 3 felony is four to 16 years in prison.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Jan. 14 in District Court.

Last month, Arcadio Contreras-Alcala, who pleaded guilty to possession of a schedule 2 controlled substance over 1 gram, was sentenced to 1.5 years in prison.

Three other suspects - Ariel Iran Pena-Diaz, Juan Luis Contreras-Alcala and Armando Zavala Flores - were sentenced to 5.5 years total for possession convictions. However, their sentences were suspended and the suspects deported.

The last of the suspects, Horacio Contreras-Alcala, is scheduled for a five-day jury trial Jan. 12 in District Court.

He is charged with distribution of a schedule 2 controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, all felonies.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

ACET Commander Garrett Wiggins said the arrests and successful prosecutions were a collaborative effort between the task force, local law enforcement, the 14th Judicial District Attorney's Office and the community.

"The effort we've had the last year and a half has been a team effort," Wiggins said.

He specifically praised community members who have called the task force about possible drug activity, and he also praised the District Attorney's Office for its handling of the cases.

"It's not just a battle for law enforcement - it's a battle for us all. : It's made a huge difference having the community input," Wiggins said.

He added, "The (deputy) district attorneys over there have done a tremendous job and shown a lot of passion for these cases. They are dedicated to doing the right thing."

Prosecutors from the District Attorney's Office had no comment for this story.

Joel Sheridan, chairman of the Communities Overcoming Meth Abuse organization, said his group "strongly" supports the efforts of law enforcement, prosecutors and the courts in battling area methamphetamine.

COMA, the chairman said, long has backed the courts being harsh with methamphetamine repeat offenders and distributors.

He said the wide-ranging "devastation" the drug causes on families and the community outweighs prison sentences given to those two groups of people.

"It's a severe problem that needs to be dealt with in a severe way," Sheridan said.

He added, "There's no excuse and no rattling it away when we have distribution."