News
Some Colorado Republican congressmen back away from Trump amid concerns over Russia conduct
DENVER – Two of Colorado’s most-scrutinized Republican members of Congress said Tuesday they have grave concerns about President Donald Trump sharing highly classified information with two high-ranking Russian officials last week.
The responses from Sen. Cory Gardner and Rep. Mike Coffman came after the Washington Post reported the information sharing, which included details on ISIS operations and plans the U.S. had obtained from a sensitive Middle Eastern ally and had yet to share with other close allies, according to the report. Continue reading
Project Unsolved: Police, family still searching for Denver mother of 3 who vanished without a trace
Nearly 11 years ago, a young mother of three living near Sloan’s Lake in Denver left to drop medicine off to one of her sons who was visiting another family member just blocks away. She never arrived at her final destination, and not one of her family members has heard from her since.
Nicholle Torrez was 27 when she disappeared that night—December 14, 2006—and left her mother and young family with a never-ending series of questions, which were only multiplied when a car she had been driving showed up on the other side of the metro area months later. Continue reading
Trump allegedly leaked classified info to Russians: How Colorado’s members of Congress are reacting
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump shared highly classified information about U.S. operations involving the Islamic State with two high-ranking Russian officials in a meeting last week, according to a story first published by the Washington Post and later corroborated by multiple other news organizations on Monday.
The White House has called the report false, but news outlets are standing by their stories. In Congress, most members have been cautious in their reactions, but many say if the stories are true, that Trump’s actions are concerning. Continue reading
Homicides in the headlines: Uptick seen in some Colorado metro areas
DENVER – Colorado Springs has seen a major uptick in homicides so far in 2017 when compared to last year.
There have been 12 deaths so far this year in the city classified as homicides, but after three more people were found dead with gunshot wounds over the weekend, that number could rise to 15 if the coroner determines their deaths were homicides.
On Saturday, police arrested a man on first-degree murder charges in the shooting deaths of two of those three – a male and female that still have not been identified. But the determination of whether or not they were murdered will be made by the coroner.
Still, as of May 1, there were 12 homicides in the city so far this year, compared to just one as of May 1 last year. All have so far been deemed murders.
Last year, there were 22 homicides in Colorado Springs – 19 murders and three that were deemed justifiable homicides.
There were 29 homicides in 2015 (22 murders; four negligent/manslaughter; and three justifiable homicides). In 2014, there were 23 homicides (19 murders; two negligent/manslaughter; and two justifiable homicides). And in 2013, there were 31 homicides (25 murders; four negligent/manslaughter; and two justifiable homicides).
The 12 so far this year would put the city on pace to surpass the numbers for the past three years.
Denver has already seen 20 homicides so far, after experiencing a 10-year high of 56 in 2016 (not including officer-involved shootings).
There were a total of 50 in Denver in 2015, and the number has steadily risen after dropping to a 10-year low of 28 in 2010.
Aurora has seen 12 homicides so far in 2017 – compared to eight over the same time period last year.
In 2013, the city had seen 10 over the same period, and ended up having 23 homicides that year. In 2010, police had covered 12 homicides over the same time period, and also ended that year with 23.
Despite Denver’s 10-year high last year, the city still ranked only 19th in terms of the highest murder rates for the 30 largest cities in the U.S.
The Colorado Springs Police Department did not comment further on the city’s homicide numbers so far this year.
Reports: Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers not interviewed for FBI director job
DENVER – Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers won’t be the new director of the FBI after all, as multiple reports Monday say that he wasn’t among the eight people interviewed for the position over the weekend, and that interviews have wrapped.
Bloomberg and CNN report that the eight people interviewed for the job, left open after former director James Comey was fired by the president last week, will be the only candidates considered:
- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas
- Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe
- Former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Michigan, a former FBI agent
- U.S. District Court Judge Henry Hudson
- Adam Lee, the FBI special agent heading the Richmond, Virginia office
- Former U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia
- Former Homeland Security adviser Fran Townsend
- Former Justice Department official Alice Fisher
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein conducted the interviews over the weekend, and President Donald Trump has hinted that he may name a new director by Friday, before he leaves on a trip to the Middle East.
Fox News reported last Friday that Suthers was among those on the short list to be interviewed for the position.
Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., nominated Suthers, who took over at the mayor’s office in 2015. He previously served as Colorado’s attorney general from 2005 to 2015, and served as the U.S. Attorney for Colorado from 2001 to 2005 after being appointed by President Bush and confirmed.
He began his career by serving as the deputy and chief deputy district attorney in Colorado Springs, and also headed the state’s department of corrections.
In a statement to Colorado Politics on Friday, a spokesperson for Suthers said he was “honored” to be listed as a possibility, but said it would be “premature” to comment further on the possibility.
But Gardner said Suthers would be an “excellent choice” to head the FBI, which was seconded by Rep. Mike Coffman, who added that Suthers was “independent and tough.”
According to Colorado Politics, Suthers also received endorsements from former Gov. Bill Owens, current Gov. John Hickenlooper and current Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman on Friday.
A spokesperson for Colorado Springs told Denver7 Monday that Suthers had no comment on the FBI position.
“Local residents can be assured that this is business as usual in the City of Colorado Springs,” the spokesperson said.
Lawmakers over the weekend called for Trump to nominate a nonpartisan figure to lead the agency amid much uproar over Comey’s firing, which Democrats and Republicans alike say appears to have been politically-motivated.
The FBI Agents Association, the union representing the ground-level FBI agents, endorsed Rogers over the weekend.
Senate rules for nominations such as the FBI director require nominees be confirmed only by 51 votes. The Republicans have 52 seats in the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader announced Monday that Rosenstein will brief all 100 senators regarding Comey’s firing Thursday afternoon.
Rep. Mike Coffman says ‘cloud’ hanging over Trump administration, causing polarized Congress
DENVER – U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman says the appointment of a special prosecutor in the ongoing probe into Russia’s alleged ties with members of President Trump’s campaign and administration is the only way to cut through the “cloud” hanging over the White House and Congress.
Coffman sat down for a one-on-one interview with Denver7 Friday, moments after White House press secretary Sean Spicer wrapped up a contentious press briefing in which he was grilled over Trump’s statements earlier this week in which he hinted that he had fired former FBI Director James Comey because of the Russia probe. Continue reading
Colorado man who trafficked boys from California for sex sentenced to 50 years
AURORA, Colo. – A Colorado man convicted in March of bringing boys from California to Aurora so that he could have sex with them will spend 50 years in prison.
Sean Crumpler, 50, received the sentence Monday in 18th Judicial District Court in Colorado. He pleaded guilty in early March to three counts of human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude, though he originally faces 11 felonies and a sentence enhancer when he was first arrested.
Crumpler, who is HIV-positive, was arrested in August 2015 after one of the boys he trafficked talked to a family member, who alerted authorities in California. The FBI got involved in the investigation, which led to Crumpler and his home in Aurora.
According to prosecutors, Crumpler between 10 and 15 other men and boys all lived together in the home. Crumpler would pay all the bills and buy food to feed everyone who lived there, and would also supply them with marijuana, alcohol and other items in exchange for sex.
The 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office says two of the men involved in trafficking the boys had themselves been victims of Crumpler’s earlier in their lives. Both have already been sentenced to six years of probation after they pleaded guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
But one of the accomplices estimated that between 150 and 175 boys had been victimized over a two-year period, according to the DA’s Office.
The judge in the case said Crumpler deserved “very serious punishment” and agreed with Deputy District Attorney Cara Morlan, who asked for the 50-year sentence.
“The defendant has tried to make this a case about an alternative lifestyle,“ Morlan said. “This sentence serves as a notice to all offenders — wealthy or poor, gay or straight, male or female — it does not matter. If you target children, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The Colorado Department of Human Services offered a reminder in the face of the sentencing that anybody with tips on child abuse or child trafficking can call tips in to 1-844-CO-4-KIDS. Those interested in learning more can tap here for additional information.
Draft rules for Denver’s social marijuana clubs released; patron waiver draws early concern
DENVER – Businesses looking to get one of Denver’s first-of-its-kind social marijuana consumption permits got their first look Thursday at the stringent draft of rules and regulations they will likely have to adhere to if they want one of the permits.
Denver voters approved Initiative 300 last November, which opens up the possibility for the existence of the clubs. The city, state and local organizations have been hammering out exactly what requirements the businesses have to follow since. Continue reading
Hickenlooper says special session might be coming to address roads, health care funding
DENVER – Colorado’s legislative session ended Wednesday, but the Legislature could be back at the Capitol this month after Gov. John Hickenlooper said Thursday he’s considering calling a special session to address what he sees as shortfalls in addressing transportation and health care budget concerns.
Both parties were able to reach some last-minute bipartisan agreements that brought some money in to address state roads and highways, health care concerns, education issues and construction defects. Continue reading
2 juveniles charged with first-degree murder in Fort Morgan double homicide
FORT MORGAN, Colo. – Two 17-year-old boys have been arrested on first-degree murder charges in the deaths of two people who had been reported missing and were found dead in April.
The Fort Morgan Sheriff’s Office says the two teenagers were arrested around 9 p.m. Wednesday in the 200 block of S. West Street.
Their identities are not being released because they are juveniles, the sheriff’s office said. Both are being held without bond pending their first advisement in Morgan County District Court Friday.
The two face charges in the alleged killings of Santos Macias and Destiny McMinn. The two were reported missing earlier this year.
Macis’ body was found on April 17 in the 19000 block of Highway 34, and McMinn’s body was found a week later in the 9000 block of Road Q in Fort Morgan.
The sheriff’s office says it is working with several local agencies, and that the teams have interviewed “dozens” of people in regards to the case and served several search warrants.
The sheriff’s office says the investigation is active and ongoing.