Crime
Boy accused in Longmont deadly stabbing of young woman had ‘death list,’ prosecutors say
LONGMONT, Colo. – The 15-year-old Lakewood boy accused of stabbing a young woman to death in Longmont Saturday evening had a list of people he wanted to hurt and had previously threatened several of his own family members, according to the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office.
The boy waived his first court appearance Monday afternoon, and was denied bond pending his next hearing, which could come Wednesday. Prosecutors are expected to decide by then whether or not to charge the boy in adult court rather than juvenile court. He is being investigated on first-degree murder charges, officials said over the weekend. Continue reading
Uber’s parent company faces $8.9M fine in Colo. over questionable, or incomplete, background checks
DENVER – Uber’s parent company is facing an $8.9 million fine after the Colorado Public Utilities Commission found 57 Uber drivers in the state were driving when they weren’t supposed to be, and the state is questioning whether background checks on those drivers were performed at all.
The parent company, Rasier, LLC, was issued notice of the civil penalty Monday — $2,500 a day for each day one of the 57 disqualified drivers worked, resulting in the penalty of close to $9 million. Uber uses an accredited background check company to screen potential drivers. Continue reading
Missing girl hitched ride in back of family friend’s vehicle without them knowing, authorities say
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. – A 10-year-old girl from Golden who was missing for more than 12 hours overnight hid in the back of a family friend’s car and was inadvertently taken to Aurora, the sheriff’s office said Friday.
Authorities found Madeleine Malloy, 10, safe at an Aurora apartment complex Friday morning 27 miles from where she originally went missing around 5 p.m. Thursday.
Law enforcement officials said Friday morning that Malloy didn’t seem to know where she was when she was found Friday morning after knocking on the door of a different apartment saying she was hungry. Continue reading
Justice Department warns Denver its immigration policy might violate federal grant rules
DENVER – The Justice Department warned Denver Police Chief Robert White in a letter Wednesday that Denver might be violating federal rules with some of its so-called “sanctuary city” policies and threatened that the police department could stand to lose federal grant money.
At issue are Byrne justice assistance grants (JAG) issued in accordance with a section of federal law called Section 1373, which deals with communication and information exchanges between local, state and federal law enforcement and other officials. Continue reading
Democratic colleagues call for Rep. Steve Lebsock’s resignation after sexual harassment allegations
DENVER – A female Colorado state lawmaker is going public with allegations that fellow lawmaker Rep. Steve Lebsock made sexual advances toward her last year, and she says there are several others who have made similar claims.
Rep. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, told Denver7 Investigates Friday the incident in question happened toward the end of last year’s legislative session, in May 2016. Lebsock, D-Thornton, is now running for state treasurer in 2018. Continue reading
DA has active investigation into sexual harassment allegations at Lake County Sheriff’s Office
LAKE COUNTY, Colo. – The Fifth Judicial District Attorney’s Office confirmed Wednesday it has an ongoing investigation into allegations of sexual harassment levied against the Lake County undersheriff by at least three female employees of the sheriff’s office.
The confirmation came shortly after the Lake County Board of County Commissioners held a meeting with Sheriff Rodney Fenske and at least one attorney. The meeting was held in executive session, with windows blocked out with paper and reporters not allowed inside. Continue reading
Montrose man says his father had a sex change and he killed him, but victim was a different woman
OLATHE, Colo. – A Montrose man walked into the Olathe Police Department Sunday night and told officers his father had a sex change and that he’d killed him. But the person he’s accused of killing was actually a woman, and the man’s father is alive and well.
Police say they believe Joseph Anthony Saur, 19, was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time.
According to an affidavit for Saur’s arrest, he was “visibly emotional and distraught” when he walked into the police station Sunday night just before midnight and told officer he shot his father a few blocks west of the station.
But his story had holes immediately, according to the affidavit. Continue reading
Texas shooter Devin Kelley bought 2 guns at Colorado Springs store, passed background checks
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The owner of a gun store in Colorado Springs confirmed Wednesday that Devin Kelley, the man accused of killing 26 at a Texas church on Sunday, bought two weapons at his store and passed background checks for each.
The weapons were bought in two different years, according to the owner of Specialty Sports and Supply, who said he had spoken with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Continue reading
Colorado congressmen call for sweeping review of reporting system to NCIC
DENVER – Defense Secretary James Mattis has ordered the Inspector General for the Department of Defense to conduct a review of what missteps led to Devin Kelley being able to purchase weapons after an assault conviction while in the military, while some congressmen from Colorado are calling for him to conduct a full review of the reporting system.
On Tuesday, Sen. Michael Bennet (D), and Reps. Ed Perlmutter (D) and Mike Coffman (R) called for the Department of Defense to conduct a full review of the reporting procedures to the National Crime Information Center. Continue reading
3 female Lake County Sheriff’s Office employees allege undersheriff sexually harassed them
LAKE COUNTY, Colo. – Three female employees of the sheriff’s office in this sparsely-populated central Colorado county say they have been repeatedly sexually harassed by the undersheriff, and that the harassment has continued despite an investigation and pleas for it to stop.
The women, who work as 911 dispatchers for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, say Undersheriff Fernando Mendoza has continually made lewd comments to them and sent them inappropriate text messages—sometimes, even, while they are on duty. Continue reading