On January 25, 2024 the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release that read:
On Wednesday, January 25, 2024, members of the Chaffee County Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office and the Buena Vista Police Department received information of an individual who was in possession of a large quantity of Fentanyl at his residence north of Buena Vista.

A search warrant was obtained and a search was executed on the residence. During the search officers recovered approximately 600 Fentanyl pills and numerous firearms, one of them being a reported stolen handgun.

Arrested in the residence was:

Christopher Foreman, age 50, Buena Vista.

Foreman was charged with the following:

1. Special Offender-Sale or Distribution of a Controlled Substance, Drug Felony 1

2. Special Offender-While in Commission of sale or distribution of a controlled substance, (deadly weapon), Drug Felony 1

3. Distribution/Manufacturing/Dispensing/Sale of a Controlled Substance, Drug Felony 1

4. Possession of a Schedule I or II Controlled Substance, Drug Felony 4

5. Theft Value at least $300 less than $1000 Misdemeanor 2

A Drug Felony 1 in the state of Colorado holds a sentencing range of eight to thirty-two years in the department of corrections. Eventually a plea agreement with the District Attorney’s Office was accepted that Foreman would plead guilty to a drug felony 2 (sentencing range of four to eight years in the Department of Corrections) with sentencing open to the court. A pre-sentencing investigation was ordered by the court.

At Foreman’s sentencing hearing on Tuesday, January 28th, 2025 the pre-sentencing investigation results were revealed recommending a sentence to the department of corrections and that a sentence to Community Corrections (a sentencing alternative to prison for felony offenders that offers treatment and supervision to change their behavior to reintegrate into the community) was not recommended. The District Attorney’s Office argued for a sentence of six years in the Department of Corrections.

After considering all arguments brought by the defense and prosecution, District Judge Dayna Vise sentenced Foreman to four years of probation.

“To say I am disappointed with the sentence handed down might be and understatement. This was the largest Fentanyl bust in the history of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office. Fentanyl, as everyone knows, is one of the largest epidemics facing our country. Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. I am proud of the work our investigators and partnering agencies put into this very large and time-consuming investigation which included a large amount of overtime working through the nights. I am also very happy with the efforts of the district attorney’s office bringing this case forward. Our office, along with our local law enforcement partners in Chaffee County, will continue our efforts to rid our community of these dangerous substances. I have all the sympathy in the world for an addict who wants to get clean and I will go to the end of the world for them to help. However, I have no tolerance for someone trying to poison our community.” -Sheriff Andy Rohrich