A Cortez woman charged with drug distribution has been sentenced to seven years with the Colorado Department of Corrections.
In a plea bargain, Jordan D. Balfour, 27, also known as Jordan Lopez, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of distributing methamphetamine.
District Court Judge Douglas Walker issued two seven-year sentences to be served concurrently. Balfour could be eligible for parole in three years.
Walker cited Balfour’s repeated criminal behavior and her previous decisions to not take advantage of rehabilitation treatment offered by the court.
“At some point, the court has to say enough, and today is enough,” Walker said.
He said the jail sentence strikes a balance. Removing Balfour from the community improves public safety, while also providing her with an opportunity to receive rehabilitation services in jail.
Before the sentence was handed down, witnesses and officials spoke about Balfour, including a drug task force agent, her stepmother, her defense attorney, and the prosecutor. Balfour also read a statement.
Balfour was an established drug distributor making a profit, reported the District Attorney’s office and investigators. Police confiscated at total of 130 grams of meth over the course of her various arrests. Her home on Linden Street had surveillance cameras with live feeds.
Drug task force officer Tom Quinnett discussed the time and effort that went into investigating the case. He said the drug distribution operation damaged the community and included the presence of firearms.
Balfour’s stepmother testified by phone and suggested Walker sentence her to parole so she could move to Ohio to live with the family, get a job, enroll in therapy and get back on the right track.
In her statement to the court, Balfour said she recognizes her wrong choices and accepts responsibility for her actions. She said her goal is to make positive changes in life and further her education.
“I want to prove I have the ability to be a successful person,” she said. “I’d like to go back to school to become a counselor so I can help people like me.”