A West Metro Drug Task Force operation in Wheat Ridge turned up what investigators describe as one of the biggest local stashes of synthetic psychedelics and pressed pills that Jefferson County has seen in years. Authorities say the case centers on 25-year-old Hunter Covelli, who later surrendered to law enforcement in Walworth County, Wisconsin, and is expected to be extradited to Jefferson County for court proceedings.
According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, task force members executed a search warrant at Covelli’s home in January 2026 and uncovered a sprawling drug operation built around a pill-pressing machine. The post lists about 60 pounds of crystalline MDMA, roughly 31,000 MDMA pills, 11,000 2-C-B pills, 13,000 MDA pills, approximately 60,000 LSD tablets and 18 vials of LSD liquid, about 100 pounds of psychedelic mushrooms, 40 grams of cocaine, 55 grams of ketamine, eight firearms, and one pill press. Investigators say the operation grew from an anonymous tip received in 2025 and that the West Metro Drug Task Force carried out the search.
Statewide Spike In Pill And Pressed-Pill Seizures
The Wheat Ridge bust tracks with a broader statewide push against pill-press operations as Colorado agencies log record-setting pill seizures. In November 2025, the DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division reported a record 1.7-million-pill fentanyl seizure in a single investigation, a reminder of the scale of illicit pill manufacturing facing the region. Local task forces have increasingly homed in on networks that combine pressed-pill production with trafficking in synthetic stimulants and psychedelics.
Charges And Next Steps
The Jefferson County post says Covelli is being held on 35 counts that include nine first-degree drug felonies, seven second-degree drug felonies, nine third-degree drug felonies for possession with intent to distribute, eight counts of illegal possession of a weapon, and two misdemeanors for unlawful possession of a controlled substance. According to the post, Covelli turned himself in to Walworth County, Wisconsin, authorities on April 15 and will be extradited to Jefferson County for court proceedings. The West Metro Drug Task Force includes investigators from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Golden Police Department, Lakewood Police Department, and Wheat Ridge Police Department.
How Statewide Rules Shape Local Response
Colorado’s voter-approved Proposition 122 and follow-up implementation laws created a regulated access system for certain natural psychedelics such as psilocybin, while synthetic compounds, including MDMA and LSD, remain illegal under state and federal law. The state’s Natural Medicine rule-making and licensing work is handled through the Division of Natural Medicine and related agencies as part of SB23-290 implementation. For more on the policy gap between decriminalized natural medicines and banned synthetic compounds, see the state’s Natural Medicine FAQs and the ballot summary at Ballotpedia…