MONTE VISTA — The owner of a home where the Monte Vista Police Department served a search warrant on Aug. 4 was cited for allegedly operating a drug house and illegal activity. 

“As a result of the search warrant executed by the Monte Vista Police Department on Wednesday, Aug. 4, the owner of 724 Clay St. has been summoned to Monte Vista Municipal Court for violating City Ordinance 5-1-300(a) ‘Drug Houses and Illegal Activity,’” stated MVPD Chief George Dingfelder. 

Since 2016, according to the MVPD, the residence has been used for the storage, use, and sale of illegal drugs and controlled substances and the facilitation of criminal activity, to include items recovered from thefts and burglaries.  

MVPD reported it has taken 16 reports of criminal activity at this residence in the past five years. Most of those reports have been since March of 2019. During this time the Monte Vista Police Department, Rio Grande Sheriff’s Office and federal authorities have served search warrants for drug activity and stolen property at the Clay Street property. 

In addition to being cited for drug houses and illegal activity, the owner was issued a notice of multiple code violations involving safety and health concerns associated with the property. 

Monte Vista Ordinance 5-1-300 allows the City to abate the property, to include seizure of the property upon proof to a court of law that it is being used to facility criminal activity, according to MVPD. 

“The Monte Vista Police Department will continue to use all legal means to pursue criminal activity, to include civil actions to abate known drug houses and property used to facilitate crime,” Dingfelder stated.