"The challenge that we face is a lot of times people don't even bother reporting these sorts of scams. 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Three massage parlor owners coerced their employees into having sex with customers in exchange for money for more than a year at their spas in Denver and Lakewood, according to a human trafficking investigation led by the Colorado Attorney General's Office. Hehr and Gaiswinkler are in custody at the Jefferson County Jail on $50,000 cash or surety bonds. A grand jury has indicted a Colorado county clerk, Tina Peters, and her deputy on a laundry list of charges related to an election security breach in her office last summer that was influenced. The Moving can be an exciting experience. The receipt from a 98-year-old customer in Colorado Springs was in the book, charged $300 in July 2020. He started at the Post in 1986, at the old building on 15th and California streets. It was led by Saul Ramon Rivera-Beltran, 30, of Thornton, according to the DEA, who they said coordinated the drug shipments and deals from Mexico. Gabriel Joshua Kantrow was arrested Saturday on Long Island while attempting to visit an inmate at the Yaphank Correctional Facility, the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. Example video title will go here for this video. Anderson has raised nearly $107,000 since October, compared with $166,000 Petersraised since enteringthe race in February, according to financial disclosure reports from May 31. Working with our law enforcement partners, my office is committed to combating organized retail theft and holding criminals accountable for the harm they cause businesses, employees and consumers throughout the state.. DU loses to North Dakota in Summit tourney opener, Makar cleared to return 2nd time from concussion protocol, 77 inches of snow fall at Colorado ski area in 9 days, Denver high school student dies after shooting, Victims of catalytic convertor theft can get financial aid, Woman pleads guilty to burglary after 85-year-old man robbed, killed, Colorado Organized Crime Control Act Conspiracy, Conspiracy to commit theft $20,000 - $100,000, Colorado Organized Crime Control Act Pattern of Racketeering - Participation in an Enterprise, Attempt to commit theft $1,000 - $2,000. A grand jury in Hardee County indicted Matthew Flores, 35, on charges of first-degree murder, grand theft auto, possession of a firearm by a felon and tampering with evidence, according to court records. Share . A grand jury in Colorado has indicted a county election clerk who sowed doubt about the 2020 presidential election, alleging she was part of a "deceptive scheme" to breach voting system . Booking photos were not immediately available. DEA Denver Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge David Olesky said the investigation into the organization began in April of this year and concluded in the past several weeks. Targets of the investigation would recklessly shoot their firearms out the windows of their vehicles in celebratory fashion or would fire rounds in their backyards for fun, Olesky said. Menu. Shooting investigation underway at Palmer Park in Colorado Springs Monday afternoon. The marijuana would then be trafficked out of state. Peters is also part of the America First coalition, a conservative group ofGOP candidates around the countrypromoting Trumps false claims of election fraud who arerunning for the secretary of state. Mario Timothy Hehr and Alexandra Gaiswinkler were indicted on charges including violating the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, theft and conspiracy to commit theft, according to a release from the Colorado Attorney General. Without passage of the bill or a conviction in court, Peters remains on the ballot. That woman, according to Weiser, was one of the few who actually report these crimes. El Paso County teen located after missing for almost a month, CSFD battling fire in commercial building, Who is running for mayor of Colorado Springs? This impressive collaboration between law enforcement agencies is a true success story for making our entire community safer.. What's left is a tug-of-warbetween pro-Trump, far-right loyalists candidates and more traditional Republicans for GOP nominations in the primaries. Anderson has been endorsed by Griswolds predecessor, former secretary of state Wayne Williams, who replaced Peters as a Mesa County elections official after she was barred from overseeing this years election. Denver - The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado announces that James Albert Witte, age 68, Jason Lee Henderson, age 36, and Indian national Dhruv Jani, age 39, all formerly of Wray, Colorado, have been indicted on charges of money laundering and conspiring to commit money laundering. . CNN A Colorado judge on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, a leading election denier who lost last month's Republican primary for secretary of state, after. DENVER Twenty-one people have been charged in Colorado for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking ring linked to a Mexican cartel, according to law enforcement officials. The alleged network was based in Colorado and distributed drugs to several counties and cities in the region, including Denver, Aurora, Commerce City, Lakewood, and Thornton. A state, federal and local investigation has busted a Colorado drug and money laundering ring with ties to Mexico and 64 people have been indicted by a state grand jury. DENVER A Colorado grand jury indicted three police officers and two paramedics in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, a young Black man who had been walking home . Marion County deputies put out an arrest warrant for Steven Allen Monk, 34, on Nov. 23, 2022. Severe Weather Weiser says he recommends customers research who is doing their yard work. I have a really incredible legal team. Given the complexity of the investigation, the judge is likely to wait another three or four months before asking Peters legal team to enter a plea so the case can be scheduled for trial, said Mesa County District Attorney Dan Rubinstein. Copyright 1997 - 2023 NewsNow Publishing Limited. "Working with our law enforcement partners, my office is committed to combating organized retail theft and holding criminals accountable for the harm they cause businesses, employees, and consumers throughout the state.". Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, The state health website shows fentanyl related overdoses. In Colorado, Aurora police, medics indicted for 2019 death of Elijah McClain Trevor Hughes USA TODAY 0:00 1:22 Five suburban Denver police officers and medics have been indicted by a. For their conduct, these defendants will face serious consequences. Officials said 16 suspects are in custody while five remain on the run. By holding accountable the high-level organizers of this criminal enterprise and halting the spread of dangerous drugs, we can help save lives in Colorado. The counterfeit oxycodone pills, containing fentanyl, are produced in Mexico and are known here as M30s, Reuter said. Hehr and Gaiswinkler are in custody at the Jefferson County Jail on $50,000 cash or surety bonds. 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More: Republican county clerk indicted by Colorado grand jury over election tampering. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. What Tina Peters did is, she has allowed the Big Lie to have what people believe as some sort of basis in fact, said Lontine. The indicted clerk said that she visited Trumps Mar-a-Lago club in May to attenda fundraiser for Arizona secretary of state GOPcandidate Mark Finchem (who has won Trumps endorsement)and for an advance screening of a film by conservative director Dinesh DSouza. Parolee sentenced to 47 years in prison in 2015, now arrested for armed robberies in Colorado Springs. The suspects were arrested in Jefferson County and each charged with: The stores the couple are accused of stealing from were in Adams, Jefferson, Boulder, Broomfield and Weld counties. With Peters trial date still up in the air, Democrats who control thestate legislature are working to push the bill through before the general election. ColoradoState Sen. Kevin Priola, the only Republican state legislator to co-sponsor a Democratic bill to bar anyone convicted of election fraud-related charges from running for office, said he believes Trump s hold on the GOP may be starting to slip away., The question is: Is it happening quickly enough to the extent that rational, reasonable, fair-minded conservative Republicans can actually win primary elections.. Not at all, she said. From Oct. 22, 2019, to Feb. 11, 2021, the Colorado Statewide Grand Jury returned indictments which included multiple alleged violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act and the Colorado Controlled Substances Act, Weiser said. I see it (as)important to bring professionals back to these offices and maintain that fair referee, not just for elections, but for the other operations as well, Anderson said. The investigation uncovered a money-laundering operation that trafficked drug proceeds through a variety of wire transfers and bulk cash transports to Mexico, authorities said. She is also facing legal action for a variety of other issues, including a dispute with her ex-husband over the deed to a Colorado home. In Colorado, choice of evils defenses are rooted in the idea that it was necessary as an emergency measure to commit that offense, and that there were not lawful options available, he said. She said 4,000 plants generate about $3 million every 90 days. Elected in 2018, Griswold is the first Democrat to win the office since 1963, beating then-incumbent Republican Wayne Williams 52.7% to 44.7%. but it can also be stressful. In the past 20 years in Colorado, nearly 5,000 Coloradans died from a prescription opioid overdose, according to a news release. Colorado County Clerk Indicted in Voting Security Breach Investigation. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Nicholson has covered a variety of beats including suburbs, courts, crime and general assignment. Rubinstein suspects Peters team will opt for a defense that she chose the lesser of two evils by acting in response to a perceived threat to election security. . A Boulder County grand jury returned an indictment on the six defendants on Jan. 26, but the indictments were sealed until recently when all six men were taken into custody in California. Its just shifted to 2022 and 2024., She also said Peters has become a national figure in the push of disinformation and is a risk to American elections and Colorado elections.. Information from the equipment and passwords were later leaked, the lead prosecutor in Peters case said. In many respects it has simply grown that black market as additional regulation and taxes have come on top of marijuana. DU loses to North Dakota in Summit tourney opener, Makar cleared to return 2nd time from concussion protocol, 77 inches of snow fall at Colorado ski area in 9 days, Wife of drug kingpin 'El Chapo' pleads guilty to US charges, 'I remember aiming toward people and the floor': Second suspect in STEM school shooting testifies. He didnt specify how they were distributed but said many of these counterfeit fentanyl pills are available online through social media sites. We appreciate each of the assisting agencies.. In addition to the arrest of Rivera-Beltran, the following suspects are facing charges in connection to the operation and will be prosecuted in Douglas County District Court: 110,000 pills laced with fentanyl seized in operation. Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. Prosecutors say the Mesa County clerk also allegedly had someone copy hard drives from her countys Dominion Voting election machines. A Loveland man arrested in a 2021 drug bust has entered guilty pleas in multiple cases and will be sentenced in late April. He was wanted for three counts of capital sexual battery on a victim under 12, lewd and lascivious exhibition, and . They damaged voters confidence in the states election process, said DemocraticSecretary of State Jena Griswold, who is running for reelection and is unopposed in her primary. The 45 count indictment charged 21. The fentanyl crisis reaches from coast to coast, and Colorado is not immune. That man didn't want to go on camera, but his family told KRDO he remembers what happened clear as day. Gaiswinkler drove away in the van after Hehr had stolen items on at least one occasion, the indictment says. Lafayette police were able to tie the incidents when it investigated two burglaries on Oct. 29, 2021, and found members of the group were present at both sites at the time of the burglaries. Drug cells in Colorado were operating in the Denver area, including Adams County, and in Colorado Springs. Earlier Wednesday, a grand jury indicted Peters and Deputy Clerk Belinda Knisley on a laundry list of charges related to an election security breach in her office last summer. Retail theft has a deep impact on both consumers and businesses and the well-being of our communities. It was all about greed and making money, Olesky said. All of the suspects are Chinese nationals, officials said. Hehr and Gaiswinkler are being held in the Jefferson County jail in lieu of $50,000 cash or surety bonds. The two targeted stores in Adams, Jefferson, Boulder, Broomfield and Weld counties. 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The latest videos from FOX21 News Colorado. Kellner was joined by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Apecial Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Steven Cagen for the announcement. . Colorado businesses have lost millions in inventory to sophisticated crime rings, threatening greater safety risks to retail store employees and higher prices for consumers, Attorney General Phil Weiser said in a statement. In September, the Arvada Police Department posted on social media, saying the couple would start a tree-trimming job in the Denver-Metro area, ask for a payment, and leave with the payment without finishing the work. Peters said she no longer trusts the states voting system. DEA testing has revealed that 2 out 5 counterfeit pills usually seized during these operations contain enough fentanyl to deliver a fatal dose, meaning the 110,000 pills taken off the streets during this investigation potently saved 40,000 lives, according to Olesky. A state grand jury indicted Hye Kyeung Seo, 49, Sang Hyon Shim, 59, and Seon Hee Wolf . A state grand jury indicted Brett Andrew Nelson for his alleged threats of extortion and retaliation against several judges, law enforcement officers, and prosecutors in Gunnison, Montrose, and. Officials believe the group struck at sites in Monument, Aurora, Broomfield, Northglenn, Denver, Greeley, Fort Collins, Firestone, Arvada, Loveland, Brighton, Lafayette, Commerce City and unincorporated Boulder, Jefferson, Larimer, Douglas and Larimer counties. For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "9news" to find the free app to add to your account. Sixteen of the suspects are in custody; five remain on the run, officials said. Hehr would depart from the stores in a distinctive blue and white van, with Gaiswinkler serving as the getaway driver at least once. TheColorado Republican Party has been vocal in its opposition to Peters campaign with only one GOP state senator Priola supporting the measure. Olesky said the group was preparing for a battle, which he said played out on multiple occasions during the investigation. Colorado voters Tuesday will be nominating Democratic and GOP candidates for secretary of state. I think it puts a lot of fuel on the fire of mistrust if you take such a polarizing position on either side of the aisle as an elected official.. Republican lawmakers are hesitant to rally behind the proposed law because of the large number of voters who believe in the false claims and lies about election fraud, Priola said. However, The indicted Mesa County clerk Peters expressed confidence in her legal teams strategy. The Lafayette Police Department . Sydney Isenberg 10:15 PM, Feb . Tina Peters the former clerk of Mesa County, Colorado, and her state's most prominent 2020 election denier was found guilty Friday of misdemeanor obstruction of a government operation . Also listed, was a 93-year-old woman from the east side of Colorado Springs. When that is not always possible, he says customers should withhold payment until a job is done. Allison Novelo, Julia Mueller and Zoya Mirza, indicted onseven felony charges related to election fraud, former President Donald Trump's false claims of a stolen election, In 2022 midterms, a new 'Big Lie' battleground: secretary of state elections, Republican county clerk indicted by Colorado grand jury over election tampering, Fact check: Joe Biden legally won presidential election, despite persistent contrary claims, Trump had to know he was spreading 'Big Lie,' Jan. 6 committee member Jamie Raskin says, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. CAON CITY, CO A Colorado Corrections Officer was arrested in a nationwide human trafficking operation that led to the arrest of more than 200 people . Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. DENVER -- Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters continues to outraise heropponents in Colorados GOP secretary of state primary despite being indicted onseven felony charges related to election fraud, called on by her own partyto suspend her campaign and barred by a judge from overseeing her countys elections this year. Arkansas officer involved in violent arrest back on the job By ANDREW DeMILLO February 21, 2023 Morning Forecast 11 of those receipts came from El Paso County. Prosecutors said Hehr would enter stores, use cutters to cut security cables from high-end tools, conceal the tools in a tote or garbage bin, and then exit the store with the tote or bin without paying for the merchandise. They looked at the transcripts from the indictment and they laughed. All rights reserved. That man didn't want to go on camera, but his family told KRDO he remembers what happened . Once Hehr would exit the store, he would get into a blue and white Ford van that often did not have license plates, the indictment says. and last updated 4:47 PM, Feb 24, 2023. During a 10-month span, Mario Hehr and Alexandra Gaiswinkler are accused of stealing tools and other merchandise from nine Colorado stores. ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo Local and federal agencies announced Thursday afternoon a "major" grand jury indictment with statewide and national implications. Indicted by Grand Jury. Their cases were filed in Jefferson County and an attorney from the Department of Laws Criminal Justice Section will serve as a special deputy district attorney in the First Judicial District Attorneys Office. Griswold already had raised a record $2.67 million a month out from the June 28 Democratic primary, in which shes unopposed. Carlos David Campos, 31; Samuel Armando Arevalo Aguilar, 31; Oscar Orlando Herrera, 58; Francisco Garcia Agueta, 24; Ricardo Antonio Quevedo Rios, 35; and Bayron Arturo Moreno Gomez, 23 were all. There is no trial date set for Peters, who is charged with committing seven felonies, including attempting to influence public servants, criminal impersonation, identity theft, and conspiracy. Kellner said the suspects would then launder their money through social media apps and illegal money brokers in China. Retail theft has a deep impact on both consumers and businesses and the well-being of our communities. Tonight, both are sitting in jail, charged with targeting the elderly in a massive pattern of deception. Police . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Olesky said investigators seized 110,000 prescription pills laced with fentanyl, eight pounds of heroin, six kilograms of meth, 11 kilograms of cocaine, and around $450,000 in cash. Indicted and rebuked, Colorado secretary of state candidate pushes Trump's false election fraud claims Tuesday's primary is the latest battleground between GOP officials adhering to claims of.