Category: Cases

GOLDEN, Colo. (May 23, 2024) – District Attorney Alexis King is pleased to announce that the First Judicial District is hosting another Fresh Start warrant event at the Jefferson County Administration and Courts Facility in Golden on Saturday, June 1, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. People with active warrants for non-violent, low-level offenses in Gilpin or Jefferson counties will once again have an opportunity to either resolve their case or set a new court date.

GOLDEN, Colo. (May. 15, 2024) – Eugene “Gene” Gillespie was sentenced Tuesday by the First Judicial District Court to 8 years to life in prison for sexually assaulting two Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled (IDD) adults. Gillespie had been employed as a volunteer caregiver to individuals with disabilities since 1992 and has interacted with this vulnerable community across the metro area in at least three different volunteer programs.

GOLDEN, Colo. (May 10, 2024) – Zachary Hiestand Kwak pled guilty this morning for the rock-throwing attacks on the night of April 19, 2023. As a result of his plea and cooperation, he will face 20-32 years in prison.

GOLDEN, Colo. (May 9, 2024) – Brock Troy Nieuwendorp was sentenced yesterday to 26 years in the Department of Corrections for distributing fentanyl that killed twenty-five-year-old Catherine “Kate” Hackim on April 29, 2023. Nieuwendorp pleaded guilty earlier this year to Distribution Resulting in Death, and as a result of his plea, he faced 8-32 years in prison.

GOLDEN, Colo. (Apr. 12, 2024) – Eduardo Armando Romero was given the maximum sentence today of 12 years in prison for killing Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) K-9 Graffit and other related crimes from the February 2023 incident. Romero pleaded guilty earlier this year and, as a result, faced 8-12 years in prison.

GOLDEN, Colo. (Apr. 2, 2024)—After pleading guilty earlier this year, Former officer Nathan Geerdes was sentenced to four years probation for the crimes he committed between 2019 and 2021. As a result of his convictions, Geerdes lost his POST certification and can never work in law enforcement again.

GOLDEN, Colo. (Mar. 4, 2024) – Cole Lewis was sentenced to 57 years in prison on Friday for the murder of his nineteen-year-old girlfriend, Laila Combes, in March of last year. On Jan. 16, 2024, Lewis pleaded guilty to Murder in the Second Degree and Assault in the Second Degree, Crime of Violence. As a result of the plea, the parties stipulated to a sentencing range of 55-64 years in prison.

GOLDEN, Colo. (Feb. 28, 2024) – Kerry Endsley was sentenced to 35 years in prison today for kidnapping two hikers at gunpoint and holding them hostage in the summer of 2022. Earlier this year, Endsley pleaded guilty to one count of Attempted First Degree Murder, one count of Criminal Attempt to Commit Disarming a Police Officer, and one Crime of Violence Sentencing Enhancer. He was also resentenced today regarding a prior domestic violence Harassment charge. As a result of his plea, the parties stipulated to 35 years in the Department of Corrections.