Pubdate: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 Source: Pueblo Chieftain (CO) Copyright: 2010 The Pueblo Chieftain Contact: http://www.chieftain.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1613 Author: Nick Bonham HOME INVADERS POSE AS FEDERAL DRUG AGENTS Suspects Targeted Couple's Marijuana Plants, Police Say. Police are investigating a reported drug-related home invasion where armed masked men posing as federal drug agents raided a South Side home and assaulted a married couple early Thursday. Sgt. Eric Bravo of the Pueblo Police Department said detectives late Thursday arrested 28-year-old Steven Davis in connection to the crime. Bravo said Davis and two other unidentified men are believed to be responsible for the 1:48 a.m. incident at James Otero's home at 2851 Aster St. Thursday's home invasion took place a month after a homeowner in the 3100 block of Aster shot and killed an intruder in a reported drug robbery. Otero, 28, suffered serious bodily injuries in the attack, which was aimed at Otero's medical marijuana growth operation, Bravo said. Otero and his wife, Marquita Valdez, 25, were home watching television when three masked suspects armed with handguns broke through the front door. Cpl. Jason Heflin's report said the suspects wore beanies emblazoned with "DEA" and had bandanas over their faces. Heflin said Otero fought the three suspects throughout the house. The fight spilled from the front room into a bedroom where Otero's dogs began attacking him rather than the suspects. Otero managed to wrestle a gun away from one of the suspects and chased the assailants from the home. Otero fired several shots at the suspects who sped away in a sport utility vehicle that was parked in the middle of the street, Heflin said. Suspects also assaulted and tried choking Valdez during the incident. A 10-month-old baby was also home at the time and was unharmed during the incident. Otero was taken in a private car to St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center to be treated for facial wounds and puncture wounds to his legs, Heflin said. The couple are medical marijuana applicants and had several pot plants of various growth in the home. The number of plants in the home was not available late Thursday. What led police to Davis was that during the incident, one of the suspects was unmasked and identified as Davis, who is dating Valdez's sister. "He was familiar with the fact they had a marijuana grow," Bravo said. Davis was arrested on a warrant for first-degree burglary. He was found at Valdez's sister's apartment in the 2700 block of Sprague Avenue. During the daytime Thursday, investigators spent a majority of the day photographing the home and inspecting the marijuana plants. Bravo said that because the couple are medical marijuana applicants, the plants were not confiscated. About 20 yellow evidence placards dotted the couple's front yard and neighboring yard Thursday. Bravo said Otero fired at least four shots at the suspects as they fled. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D