Northglenn thornton sentinel

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Sentinel Northglen 6-6-13

Northglenn -Thornton

June 6, 2013

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A Colorado Community Media Publication

ournorthglennnews.com, ourthorntonnews.com

Adams County, Colorado • Volume 49, Issue 43

Large drug sting results in 77 arrests

Law enforcement dismantle drug trafficking by gang members Staff Report

Adams County Sheriff Doug Darr is being criticized by police chiefs in the county for sticking to a 30 inmates a day cap for municipal inmates, despite the county commissioners rescinding the cap in April. Pictured is Kurt Ester, the jail’s division chief, and Darr in December 2011 at the county jail. Photos by Pam Wagner

Inmate cap issue unresolved Sheriff, chiefs at an impasse over number of inmates allowed at jail By Tammy Kranz

tkranz@ourcoloradonews.com The Adams County sheriff and individual community police chiefs are at an impasse regarding the amount of municipal inmates that should be housed at the county jail. Thornton, Westminster, Aurora, Commerce City and Brighton police chiefs aired public safety concerns related to inmates being turned away from the Adams County jail during a press conference May 28 at the Thornton Police Department. Adams County Sheriff Doug Darr

The Adams County jail, located in Brighton, house inmates from area municipalities.

Inmate continues on Page 20

Reyes pleads no contest to misconduct County assessor receives deferred judgment, possiblity of dismissal after a year By Tammy Kranz

tkranz@ourcoloradonews.com Adams County Assessor Gil Reyes pleaded no contest May 29 to one count of misdemeanor first-degree official misconduct for improperly evaluating properties for a campaign donor. Reyes, 60, originally pleaded not guilty to nine counts of misdemeanor official misconduct and was scheduled to go to trial May 29. Instead, Reyes entered a no contest plea to one count and the court deferred judgment and sentencing for a year. If after a year Reyes does not commit any criminal POSTAL ADDRESS

offenses, excluding minor traffic offenses, the case will be dismissed, said Dan Recht, who is one of Reyes’ attorneys. “This has been a very emotional and difficult time for my family and me,” said Reyes in a statement released by his attorney. “The prosecution was politically motivated. I am happy to have it behind me.” Reyes, a Democrat, was re-elected to a four-year term in 2010. Prosecutors say Reyes improperly appraised properties for Majestic Realty Co., a California-based warehouse developer and a contributor to Reye’s campaigns. Majestic has nine warehouses in Aurora. In 2011, the State Board of Equalization ordered reappraisals of the properties after an investigation concluded that Reyes had ordered reduced valuations that resulted in tax reductions for properties associated with donors to his campaigns, according to

the Adams County District Attorney’s office. “After extensive investigation and evaluation by our office and the FBI, we decided that this was the best resolution of the case,” said DA Dave Young, adding that each case must be evaluated based on the strength of the evidence and witnesses. Recht said that Reye’s defense team was confident that if the case had gone to trial, Reyes would have been found not guilty. “However, juries are unpredictable and one can never be sure,” he said. “Now, with this resolution, it is virtually certain that the criminal case pending against Gil Reyes will be dismissed appropriately leaving Gil with no criminal record.” In 2011, Reyes was fined $300 plus $217 in court costs after pleading guilty to an unclassified misdemeanor charge of failure to report gifts of sports tickets he got from Majestic’s vice president.

NORTHGLENN-THORNTON SENTINEL

(ISSN 1044-4254) (USPS 854-980)

OFFICE: 7380 Lowell Blvd., Westminster, CO 80030 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Adams County, Colorado, the NorthglennThornton Sentinel is published weekly on Thursday by MetroNorth Newspapers, 7380 Lowell Blvd., Westminster, CO 80030. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT WESTMINSTER, COLORADO. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: P.O. Box 350070, Westminster, CO 80035-0070. DEADLINES: Display advertising: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal advertising: Fri. 11 a.m. Classified advertising: Tues. 12 p.m.

In the early morning hours of May 30, the North Metro Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office executed eight search warrants and made arrests as part of a nine-month methamphetamine and cocaine investigation that has resulted in grand jury indictments of 45 defendants and the seizure of several pounds of methamphetamine and cocaine, numerous firearms and recovery of stolen vehicles. The indictment remains sealed pending the arrest of the remaining defendants. “The dismantling of this particularly dangerous and organized criminal group is a testimony to the strength of our multi-law enforcement partnerships in joining available detective resources for the protection of all our communities,” said Thornton Police Chief Randy Nelson. The nine-month investigation identified a drug trafficking organization operated by several Los Primeros Padres gang members who are involved in the distribution of large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico in the north metro area of Denver. This organization sold several pounds of methamphetamine and cocaine throughout the Denver metro area, stole motor vehicles and committed burglaries to further its criminal enterprise. The indictment was returned May 28 by the grand jury. Charges in the 230-count indictment include racketeering under the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, conspiracy, various drug possession and distribution charges, kidnapping, robbery, burglary, theft and aggravated motor vehicle theft. To date, the investigation has resulted in 77 arrests, including 29 of the indicted defendants. In addition, large amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, firearms, and vehicles have been seized during this investigation. “This was a very large and dangerous drug organization,” said Adams County District Attorney Dave Young. “The Colorado Organized Crime Control Act is designed specifically to take down criminal organizations like this. The public has a high expectation of those of us in public safety that we will pursue these criminal organizations and we have done that today. This case will have a big impact on drug operations in the 17th Judicial District.” North Metro Task Force is comprised of law enforcement from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Thornton, Northglenn, Westminster, Federal Heights, Commerce City, Broomfield and Brighton.

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