DENVER — A man faces federal drug charges after Denver police found 179 pounds of meth, about 8,000 fentanyl pills and other drugs at two metro area homes following a more than year-long investigation.
A Denver Police narcotics team arrested 59-year-old Arthur Mills on March 10 of this year. Search warrants were executed for two locations, a house in the 3000 block of North Race Street and a residence in Aurora’s 12100 block of Amherst Circle, according to the Denver Police Department (DPD).
Mills was later charged by criminal complaint with the following counts:
- Possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine
- Possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl
- Possession with intent to distribute 280 grams and more of cocaine base
- Possession with intent to distribute 1 kilogram and more of heroin
- Distribution and/or possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
- Felon in possession of a firearm
DPD detectives began investigating Mills in December 2020 in relation to the sale of methamphetamine and fentanyl, the criminal complaint says. During that time detectives spoke with an informant who said they bought meth and fentanyl from a person they knew as "Magic" and lived at an apartment in Thornton on Russell Boulevard. They identified his real name as Arthur Mills.
The informant said they had been buying narcotics from Mills for over a year and had been in his apartment dozens of times, the complaint says.
They reported that Mills owned multiple high-end vehicles, and was currently driving a red BMW SUV with gold wheels. The informant also told investigators Mills wore a beanie type hat on the top of his head, and was recognizable because of that.
In late December 2020, a detective began surveillance of Mills at the Thornton apartment and located a red BMW SUV with gold wheels, which matched what the informant described. The detective later saw the vehicle leave with Mills driving.
During subsequent surveillance, detectives observed multiple drug transactions between Mills and customers. In late 2021, detectives got a tip that Mills was now living near 26th Avenue and Race Street in Denver and began surveillance of a home at 3055 Race St. As part of their efforts, detectives followed Mills to a residence located on East Amherst Circle in Aurora where he parked in the driveway and went inside, the complaint says.
In February 2022, a detective was contacted by an informant who said Mills was selling illegal narcotics out of both the Amherst Circle address and the Race Street address.
The detective asked the informant to complete a buy from Mills, the complaint says. During the transaction, drugs were taken from a backpack and given to the informant, according to the complaint. The informant later estimated there were "thousands" of fentanyl pills in the bag, the complaint says.
On March 8, a search warrant was drafted for both homes. It was approved and executed on March 10. According to the criminal complaint, the following items were recovered at the home on Race Street:
- 146.5 pounds methamphetamine
- 25.5 pounds cocaine
- 1.25 pounds crack cocaine
- 4 pounds of heroin
The following items were found at the home in Aurora, the complaint says.
- 33 pounds methamphetamine
- 18 pounds cocaine
- 6.25 pounds crack cocaine
- 3 pounds heroin
- 1.75 pounds fentanyl
- 20 firearms
Detectives contacted Mills at the Race Street home but he denied living there but said he had previously rented there until he moved in with his girlfriend, the complaint says.
Mills stated he had moved to 300 Russell Blvd. in Thornton, which the detective knew was a lie, according to the complaint.
The Race Street home had almost no furniture in it, the complaint says, but detectives later found a large amount of drugs inside a locked back bedroom.
A four-day jury trial for Mills is currently set to begin on July 11.
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