Category: Cases

Denver – A series of new reports provide Colorado District Attorneys’ Offices with a more in-depth understanding of racial and ethnic differences in their prosecution processes. The reports were developed through the Colorado Prosecutorial Dashboards project. It follows the pilot phase of the project in which eight Colorado District Attorneys’ Offices developed publicly available data dashboards to promote more effective, just, and transparent decision-making in prosecution.

Across the eight District Attorneys’ Offices that participated in the pilot project, the new reports offer a deeper dive into key points of discretion to understand whether there are differences in outcomes across individuals of different races/ethnicities.

Overall, results show evidence of disproportionality, meaning that more Hispanic and Black individuals were arrested than expected, given the population. The reports also show some evidence of disparity at points of prosecutorial discretion throughout the criminal justice process, for example:
● A greater percentage of cases involving Black individuals were dismissed or had their
charges reduced.

● A greater percentage of cases involving Hispanic individuals resulted in a guilty plea.

● In some jurisdictions, a greater percentage of cases involving Hispanic or Native American individuals were sentenced to incarceration.

Information from the new reports has been added to the dashboards of the initial eight participating Judicial Districts (available here; also see below for quotes from District Attorney’s about this new information).

Since the initial data dashboards launched last September, five additional Judicial Districts have joined: the 3rd, 10th, 12th, 17th, and 21st. Collectively, these 13 Judicial Districts represent over half of the counties in Colorado (35) and 75% of the state’s population. The remaining districts will have a continuing opportunity to create data dashboards as the project transitions to the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council for ongoing management this fall.

Colorado is the first state in the country to have multiple prosecutors’ offices working together to provide this type of in-depth data. This bipartisan effort helps Offices identify and prioritize actions that can be taken at points of prosecutorial discretion to make sure defendants and victims are treated fairly.

Elected DAs shared the following reflections:
● “Colorado District Attorneys’ commitment to transparency and equity is demonstrated through the release of the recently completed disparities analysis, which allows us to move beyond data and into meaningful action. In the 1st Judicial
District, we’re taking proactive steps to ensure our practices reflect our values by partnering with The Equity Project and Dr. Mosby-Tyler, to develop an equity lens for key decision points in case evaluation and resolution.” 1st Judicial District Attorney Alexis King.

● “These new additions to our data dashboard project help bolster our ongoing commitment of being transparent, open, and honest with our community. We recognize the importance of monitoring disparities in the criminal justice system and increasing prosecutorial transparency and accountability. This project helps us identify potential disparities so we can take action in addressing them and ensure fair treatment for all victims and defendants.” 18th Judicial District Attorney John Kellner. 

● “Continued analysis and action surrounding disparities in the criminal justice system is an undertaking we are committed to. We volunteered for this project because we believe in transparency and data-based decision-making. Since the dashboard release in September, we have taken significant steps to begin to address disparities in our data, including office-wide anti-racism training provided by the Boulder YWCA, educating other criminal justice stakeholders, and the further expansion of our diversionary programs.” 8th Judicial District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin. 

● “Transparency is a guiding principle at the root of everything I believe a District Attorney’s Office should embody. We make important decisions every day, and need data like this to assure we avoid the possibility of unconscious bias affecting our decisions. It is my duty to make sure that, as an accountable government agency, our community has the ability to ask us tough questions to make sure we are doing the job they elected us to do with the highest ethical standards.” 21st Judicial District Attorney Dan Rubinstein. 

● “Our office is committed to this important and transformative work. Colorado is moving to become the first state to embrace data dashboards for all the District Attorney’s Offices. Together, we are working hard to build a more transparent and
equitable justice system for victims and defendants. The data continues to inform the concrete action steps already underway with the expansion of our diversion programs, screening of cases coming into the office, and our ongoing collaboration with other criminal justice partners. I am glad that Colorado is on the forefront of this critical work.” Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty. 

● “It’s wonderful that five new jurisdictions are participating in this first-of-its-kind project and providing even more data. Even with the inclusion of the additional data,
the results mirror the findings from the two race and justice studies we undertook with the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab. Although we constantly monitor our data, as a system, we can and should do better to ensure equity.” Denver District
Attorney Beth McCann. 

● “The data dashboard and this disparity report not only provide more transparency to anyone who wants to see how certain types of crimes are being charged or resolved by my office, but it will also allow us to see how we are doing as prosecutors on
behalf of our communities. With this data, we can begin to determine not only how equitable and fair the outcomes are in cases across the district, but also help identify areas of improvement that can be implemented for attorneys and staff to improve case management and, thus equity and fairness in dispositions. This information allows us to appropriately respond by identifying needed training or policy updates
so that we can ensure the right outcome for every case.” 5th Judicial District Attorney Heidi McCollum. 

The project is a collaborative effort between the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab at the University of Denver, the Center for Criminal Justice at Loyola University Chicago, the national Prosecutorial Performance Indicators Project, and the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council. The project was funded with a grant from the Microsoft Justice Reform Initiative.

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Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab at the University of Denver is a statewide policy lab created in 2017 under the leadership of the Governor’s Office. It brings together data analysts and social scientists with a broad range of government and community partners to create data-informed solutions to our most pressing social problems.

Prosecutorial Performance Indicators project was launched in 2017 by researchers from Loyola University of Chicago and Florida International University with funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge. A dashboard of 55 indicators has been created to assess prosecutorial progress on efficiency, community safety, and fairness.

Microsoft Justice Reform Initiative is applying the technology and expertise of Microsoft to accelerate the impact of justice reform organizations and nonprofits.

GOLDEN, Colo. (Dec. 21, 2022) – District Attorney Alexis King announced today that Jeffrey James Blanchard of Lakewood has been charged with one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child (F5) stemming from alleged conduct in March 2021.

It is alleged that on March 10, 2021, Blanchard uploaded several images of child sexual assault materials to the social media platform Snap Chat. Snap Chat alerted the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) via their CyberTipline. NCMEC then forwards reports of possible child sexual exploitation to law enforcement for its independent review and analysis. After information led to the identification of Blanchard, an agent with the Lakewood Police Department was assigned to the investigation in March of 2022.

Blanchard has been a security guard for seven years, four years at local hospitals such as Littleton Hospital and St. Anthony’s Hospital, and three years for Denver Public Schools Campus Safety. At the time of the alleged conduct, Blanchard worked as a security guard at JFK High School in Denver. Most recently, Blanchard worked security at Hamilton Middle School in Denver.

Blanchard was arrested on Dec. 14, 2022, and was given a bond. He is set for a preliminary hearing on January 11, 2022.

A photo of Blanchard is attached. If you have additional information related to this investigation, contact Det. K. Boik with the Lakewood Police Department at 303-987-7004.

The charges are merely legal allegations, and Mr. Blanchard is presumed innocent of the charges against him unless and until he is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

GOLDEN, Colo. (Dec. 7, 2022) – the Grand Jury for Jefferson and Gilpin counties has indicted former officer Nathan Geerdes on five charges after a year-long grand jury investigation. Geerdes, a former Edgewater sergeant and more recently an officer for the Black Hawk Police Department faces four counts of unlawful sexual contact and one count of retaliation against a witness.

In December 2019, Geerdes was employed as a sergeant with the Edgewater Police Department. On December 12, 2019, while off-duty after leaving a holiday party, it is alleged that Geerdes sexually assaulted a female officer in two separate incidents. Related to these incidents, Geerdes faces two counts of unlawful sexual contact (M1) and two counts of unlawful sexual contact – use of force (F4).

On December 28, 2020, an independent investigator was retained by the City of Edgewater to investigate the allegations of misconduct by Geerdes. On February 16, 2021, the investigation was complete and written findings were issued. Sergeant Geerdes was informed he may be disciplined based on the findings. Soon after, Geerdes resigned from the Edgewater Police Department and his final day was March 15, 2021.

Prior to his last day, on or about March 1, 2021, Geerdes called a patrol officer into his office. It is alleged that Geerdes was upset with the officer for “ratting him out” and falsifying information during the investigation. The victim further alleges that Geerdes threatened to ruin the officer’s career and go after the officer’s family. For this incident, Geerdes faces one count of retaliation against a witness (F3).

On September 27, 2021, Geerdes was hired by the Black Hawk Police Department. On December 6, 2022, immediately following news of the indictment, Geerdes was terminated by Black Hawk Police Chief Michelle Moriarty.  

Late last night, Geerdes turned himself into the Jefferson County Jail and is being held without bond pursuant to statute. He will be advised at 10 a.m. in Division 5. It is not known at this time if the appearance will be streamed via WebEx.  

The charges are merely legal allegations, and Mr. Geerdes is presumed innocent of the charges against him unless and until he is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

GOLDEN, Colo. (Dec. 2, 2022) – District Attorney Alexis King announced today that a total of thirteen juveniles between the ages of 15-17 have been arrested, and twelve have been charged officially for the assaults that occurred in Lakewood on Oct. 14, 2022, and Nov. 3, 2022, on the RTD light rail.

It is alleged that on Oct. 14, 2022, a forty-five-year-old male was the victim of a random attack by a group of juveniles while riding the RTD light rail train. The male reported being pushed out of the train by the juveniles at the W 13^th Ave and Garrison St. station. The victim was transported to St. Anthony’s Hospital and suffered serious bodily injury.

On Nov. 3, 2022, a forty-seven-year-old male was assaulted by a group of juveniles on an RTD train heading eastbound from the Federal Center. The victim sustained several broken bones and required facial reconstruction surgery.

As of today, Dec. 2, 2022, nine juveniles have been charged with one count of Second Degree Assault (F4) for the 10/14/22 assault. Seven juveniles have been charged with one count of Second Degree Assault (F4) for the 11/3/22 assault (three overlap). One juvenile faces an additional charge of Inciting Riot (F5) related to the 11/3/22 incident.

Charges for the thirteenth juvenile are due on Dec. 6^th.

This is the full extent of information that will be released at this time, pursuant to 19-1-304 of the Colorado Revised Statutes.

The charges are merely legal allegations, and all juveniles are presumed innocent of the charges against them unless and until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

GOLDEN, Colo. (Nov. 29, 2022) – District Attorney Alexis King announced today the official launch of the highly anticipated Pathways program and the grand opening of a dedicated Pathways office in Lakewood.  

Established in 2022, Pathways is the First Judicial District’s new diversion program that connects individuals who have committed low-level, non-violent crimes with the resources, treatment, and social support needed to address the underlying causes of their criminal behavior. Unlike the previous Adult Diversion Program, which required a guilty plea prior to participation, Pathways now diverts individuals into programming before charges are filed and before they become part of the criminal justice system, which is a significant change from the previous program.

“Expanding our diversionary options for individuals who are low-risk and who can be stabilized in our community, is essential to community safety and well-being,” said District Attorney Alexis King. “This was one of my key campaign promises and a fundamental part of my vision for public safety; I am proud to have delivered a program that is and will continue to positively impact our community.”

The Pathways program, led by former public defender Ken Hayes, was developed with technical assistance from the Center for Court Innovation and colleagues from across the metro area, and relies on its dedicated client specialists, many of whom have served justice-involved clients for over twenty years. This year, Pathways specialists have served over 526 clients and based on current data, it is estimated the program will serve over 1300 clients in 2023.

Pathways has four different programs, the Safe and Licensed Driver Program, Substance Intervention Program, Encourage Path, and Engage Path. Each program or “path” uses a collaborative, strength-based approach with clients and community resources to provide targeted services and a path toward compassionate accountability. With a focus on community safety, repairing harm, and reducing the damaging collateral consequences of criminal convictions, Pathways seeks to reduce the risk of individuals reoffending by utilizing “Risk, Need, & Responsivity” assessments to identify and implement appropriate community services and interventions.

The Safe and Licensed Driver Program (SLD), which has already served over 169 clients since launching in September, is a commonsense program that was created to decrease the negative impacts of unlicensed and uninsured driving on the community and navigate drivers to get reinstated and insured. In Colorado, when someone receives a ticket for Driving Under Restraint (DUR), any plea to a moving violation results in one additional year of suspension of that license. The penalties progress the more pleas that occur within certain time frames, and as a result, people become caught in a cycle of revocation that can last 5, 10, or even 15 years, making them unlikely to ever reinstate their driver’s license or drive with insurance.

“This program is a start to ending that cycle,” said Director Ken Hayes. “Many people lack the resources to navigate the unfamiliar and often confusing process to reinstate their license. Yet, in a metro area like Jefferson County, the ability to drive remains vital for these individuals to accomplish every-day responsibilities like going to work, grocery shopping, attending appointments, and taking kids to school. The Safe and Licensed Driver program is a centralized and knowledgeable resource that partners with individuals to reinstate their license and obtain insurance so they can drive within our community and achieve their daily needs in a legal and safe manner.”

Not only is Pathways producing results in its first year, but the program has also improved racial equity amongst diversion participants. Currently, 34% of participants identify as Hispanic, 6% of participants identify as Black, and 47% as White. “Providing equitable opportunities to diversionary programs was one of our top priorities when developing the program,” said King, “this is essential for fundamental fairness and will build trust within our community.”

The grand opening celebration will occur at the new building on December 6th, 2022. 

GOLDEN, Colo. (Nov. 17, 2022) – District Attorney Alexis King announced today that charges have been filed against seven juveniles for a physical assault that occurred in Lakewood on Oct. 14, 2022, on the RTD light rail.

It is alleged that on Oct. 14, 2022, forty-five-year-old Zachary Chopko was the victim of a random attack by a group of juveniles while riding the RTD light rail train. Chopko reported being pushed out of the train by the juveniles at the W 13th Ave and Garrison St. station. An agent of the Lakewood Police Department who was conducting extra patrol at that time was flagged down to respond. The victim was transported to St. Anthony’s Hospital and suffered serious bodily injury.

On Nov. 11, 2022, seven juveniles between the ages of 15-17, were arrested by the Lakewood Police Department. On Nov. 14, 2022, the juveniles appeared in court and were all ordered to remain in custody without bond. Today, each of the seven juveniles was charged with 1 count of Second Degree Assault (F4).

On Nov. 15, 2022, one additional juvenile (for a total of 8) was arrested by the Lakewood Police Department in connection to the assault and was held without bond. Charges for that juvenile are due on Nov. 21, 2022.

This is the full extent of information that will be released at this time, pursuant to 19-1-304 of the Colorado Revised Statutes.

The charges are merely legal allegations, and all juveniles are presumed innocent of the charges against them unless and until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

GOLDEN, Colo. (Nov. 10, 2022) – District Attorney Alexis King announced today that charges have been filed against two juveniles for the fire at the Tiffany Square apartments in Lakewood on Oct. 31, 2022.

All residents of the 32 units were displaced. Ten people were injured, and two victims died, 31-year-old Kathleen Payton and 10-year-old Jazmine Payton-Aguayo.

On Nov. 6, 2022, both juveniles were arrested by the Lakewood Police Department. On Nov. 7, 2022, they appeared in court and were ordered to remain in custody without bond.

Today, the following charges were filed against each juvenile:
Note: Each count, including sentence enhancers, is connected to individual victims.
2 Counts of Murder in the First Degree – Extreme Indifference
39 Counts of Attempt to Commit Murder in the First Degree – Extreme Indifference
15 Counts of First Degree Arson
1 Count of Felony Criminal Mischief
1 Count of Misdemeanor Criminal Mischief
42 Aggravated Juvenile Offender Sentence Enhancers

This is the full extent of information that will be released at this time, pursuant to 19-1-304 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. No determination has been made regarding a motion to transfer the juveniles to the adult system, pursuant to 19-2.5-802.

Both juveniles are due back in court on Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, at 3:30 pm for Arraignment.

The charges are merely legal allegations, and both juveniles are presumed innocent of the charges against them unless and until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

GOLDEN, Colo. (Oct. 25, 2022) – People with active warrants for non-violent, low-level misdemeanor and traffic charges in Gilpin or Jefferson counties will once again have an opportunity to resolve their case without arrest as Colorado’s First Judicial District hosts its third Fresh Start event at the Jefferson County Administration and Courts Facility on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Individuals at prior events held earlier this year and in 2021 – including some who traveled from out-of-state – cleared their warrant either by setting a new court date, re-engaging in probation, or resolving their case entirely. This collaborative effort saves taxpayers thousands of dollars.

This event will also allow people with non-violent, low-level felonies that have recently been reclassified as misdemeanors to resolve their cases. The event excludes people who have been charged or convicted of an offense under the Victim Rights Act – such as assault, child abuse, unlawful sexual contact, or domestic violence. In addition, people with weapons offenses and those with second or subsequent cases involving driving under the influence or driving while ability impaired are not eligible for the program.

The collaboration resolves minor cases that traditionally involve arrests and court appearances that can negatively impact defendants who want to accept accountability. Individuals on probation who have fallen out of compliance can also re-engage and get back on track to completing their sentence. Individuals who attend will appear before a deputy district attorney who may offer a plea agreement to those eligible. The underlying warrant will be cleared by a judge who may resolve the case or set a new court appearance date.

Public defenders will again be available to review eligibility and provide legal consultation to qualifying defendants at no cost. Several community partners – including the Community Connections Center (C3), Jefferson County Public Health, Jefferson Center for Mental Health, Benefits in Action, Hazelbrook Sober Living, Intervention, Inc., Behavioral Treatment Services, and Stout Street Clinic – will also be on-site to provide information and resources for individual needs such as housing and vaccinations.

Fresh Start is a collaborative effort between First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King, the Colorado State Public Defender’s Office, the First Judicial District Courts, First Judicial District Probation Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Justice Services, and C3.

GOLDEN, Colo. (Oct. 24, 2022) – District Attorney Alexis King announced today that charges have been filed against Kayla Mooney and Victor Bentley for the tragic dog attack that killed 88-year-old Mary Gehring and seriously injured a twelve-year-old boy on September 14, 2022, in Golden.

Mooney and Bentley are the alleged owners of the two seven-year-old pit bulls responsible for the attacks. Colorado Revised Statute 18-9-204.5 – Unlawful Ownership of a Dangerous Dog, is a strict liability crime.

Kayla Mooney faces the following charges:

COUNT 1: UNLAWFUL OWNERSHIP OF A DANGEROUS DOG, C.R.S. 18-9-204.5(3)(a),(d) (F5)

COUNT 2: UNLAWFUL OWNERSHIP OF A DANGEROUS DOG, C.R.S. 18-9-204.5(3)(a),(d) (F5)

COUNT 3: UNLAWFUL OWNERSHIP OF A DANGEROUS DOG, C.R.S. 18-9-204.5(3)(a),(c) (M1)

COUNT 4: UNLAWFUL OWNERSHIP OF A DANGEROUS DOG, C.R.S. 18-9-204.5(3)(a),(c) (M1)

Victor Bentley faces the following charges:

COUNT 1: UNLAWFUL OWNERSHIP OF A DANGEROUS DOG, C.R.S. 18-9-204.5(3)(a),(d) (F5)

COUNT 2: UNLAWFUL OWNERSHIP OF A DANGEROUS DOG, C.R.S. 18-9-204.5(3)(a),(c) (M1)

A summons has been issued in the case and both defendants are ordered to appear on 11/22/22 at 10:00 am for advisement of charges.

Due to our ethical obligations under Rules 3.6 and 3.8(f) of the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct, we are prohibited from providing any records or making any statements outside of the “official actions” outlined in CRS § 24-72-302(7).

The charges are merely legal allegations, and Ms. Mooney and Mr. Bentley are presumed innocent of the charges against them unless and until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.