Police say jailhouse phone calls are further evidence against Colorado PI, accused of supplying drugs to Weld County inmates

Jailhouse phone calls, during which Weld County Jail inmates conspired to smuggle in drugs, shed new light on the case against a Colorado private investigator accused in the plot.

According to a police indictment, the drugs were delivered to the Fort Collins home of investigator Laura Tellers, 52, who is accused of hiding them in documents and taking them into the jail on several occasions between August and October 2023. 

In one call on August 7 last year, inmate turned police informant Frederick Rios told his girlfriend, Selenah Melendez: 

Rios: “My nigga said if you are trying to make a couple of hundred dollars he needs a package picked up from Lakewood and delivered to Fort Collins.”

Melendez: “$1,200?”

Rios: “A couple of hundred dollars to pick up an envelope from Lakewood and drop it off in Fort Collins.”

Melendez: “It would have to be on the weekend.”

Rios: “No. It would have to be done tomorrow, today, tomorrow, tonight.”

Melendez: “No. Nope can’t do it. I work Zach.”

Rios: “$200 dollars.”

Melendez: “$300 and I’ll get it done tomorrow.”

Rios: “Alright, I’ll tell him.”

At the time of the call, Tellers was working as an investigator on the defense team of Marquis Daniels. Police say she regularly supplied Daniels meth and fentanyl when she was at the jail to interview him in the lead up to his murder trial. 

Rios was Daniels’ cellmate at the time, and confessed to his role in the plot, telling police that during the visits between Tellers and Daniels, Daniels would remove the drugs from where they were hidden in the documents and strap them to his penis using a rubber band before returning to his cell. 

In an interview with Greeley Police Department, Rios claimed that Tellers brought in as much as two ounces of meth and 200 fentanyl pills at a time, some of which were later supplied to other inmates.

In another jailhouse call between Rios and Melendez, on August 8, a day after the first call, Melendez begins the conversation:

Melendez: “It’s done.”

Rios: “Done, done?”

Melendez: “Done, done. Noon tomorrow is when it should be expected.”

In another call, between Rios and Melendez, on August 13, the two discuss the possibility of obtaining meth and then getting it to the jail.

Rios: “Energizer bunny? How much can I get to 250?”

Melendez is heard asking the same question to another person, and then asking:

Melendez: “Of what?”

Rios: “Window” (Greeley Police alleged “window” is a street name for meth as it is clear-like in appearance.)

Rios and Melendez then argue about the previously delivery and the fact it didn’t contain meth, which Rios had wanted.

Melendez: “I did what I was supposed to do.”

Tellers was arrested on November 17 on two counts each of intent to distribute drugs and knowingly introducing contraband.

At the time, she was working as an investigator consultant for Fort Collins-based criminal and family law firm, Sedlak Law, which was defending Daniels —arrested in connection with a 2020 murder.

On October 11, Daniels was found with meth and fentanyl in his cell. Tellers has pled not guilty to the charges. The case will go to trial on July 22 in Greeley County Court. 

Ryan Ross
Ryan Ross
Articles: 18

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