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Six leaders of a Denver gang were recently sentenced on organized crime charges connected to dozens of robberies and burglaries – mostly of metro area marijuana dispensaries – during the summer and fall of 2023.
In all, members of the gang and another criminal group are blamed for five armed robberies, 40 burglaries and 12 attempted burglaries, according to the results of the multi-agency investigation. The two groups coordinated to steal more than three quarters of a million dollars in property and inventory.
Still images taken from surveillance videos showing separate break-ins and burglaries at Denver area stores and marijuana dispensaries in 2023. Almost two dozen young men, all members of two separate criminal organizations working in concert to steal vehicles and then use them in burglaries, were arrested and charged.
Denver District Attorney’s Office
The thieves used stolen vehicles to reach stores and dispensaries across the Denver metro area. As many as four break-ins were conducted in a single night. Cash was often the goal, and ATMs inside the businesses were targeted. Other times, the bandits made off with marijuana or marijuana product.
Sometimes they stole both.
Two photos of bags of marijuana stolen from dispensaries in 2023 shown in a Denver grand jury indictment. The photos were shared between members of two groups – one a known gang – who were later indicted on organized crime charges.
Denver District Attorney’s Office
Investigators took surveillance videos from the various crime scenes and compared those to the recorded locations of the defendants’ cell phones. The similarities placed the placed those men’s phones in the area of the robberies and burglaries at the time they occurred.
The defendants also weren’t shy about flashing the money and drugs they stole on their social media. More than once, investigators found the suspects wearing the same clothing and shoes in many of the social posts which were worn by the burglary suspects on the surveillance videos.
Photos taken from the social media accounts of several Denver area gang members which were presented to a Denver grand jury at the end of 2023. The evidence led the grand jury to issue an indictment against 23 young men for a string of robberies and burglaries earlier that year.
Denver District Attorney’s Office
A grand jury indictment in December of that year resulted in the arrests of 23 young men. Fourteen of those arrested men have now been prosecuted; two others are still in the process.
Korey Anderson was the latest to learn his fate. He received a 25-year prison sentence earlier this month on one count each of burglary, aggravated robbery, and violating the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act (COCCA). The COCCA statute is aimed at criminal organizations accused of racketeering, or taking action criminal action in pursuit of profits.
“Today’s sentencing,” Mark Michalek, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Denver Field Office, stated in a press release, “marks a major victory for public safety, ending a months-long investigation into the Bloods street gang responsible for dozens of violent crimes. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the FBI’s Violent Criminal Enterprise Task Force and the Denver District Attorney’s Office, 14 gang members and associates have been taken off the streets and held accountable for more than 326 felony offenses.”
Six men were recently sentenced for leading dozens of robberies and burglaries in the summer and fall 2023, mostly against Denver area marijuana dispensaries.)Clockwise from upper left) Korey Anderson received 25 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for violating the state’s organized crime statute (COCCA); Genero Zuniga was sentenced to 30 years for a COCCA violation, burglary-theft of drugs and aggravated robbery; Hunter Walthall got 20 years for COCCA and auto theft; Sicari McClain, 10 years in prison for a COCCA violation; Josiah Hicks was ordered to serve 20 years in prison for COCCA violation, burglary-theft of drugs and aggravated robbery; and Markis Cordova received a 17-year prison term for COCCA, burglary-theft of drugs, and auto theft).
Denver District Attorney’s Office
Four other members of Anderson’s gang received probation or deferred sentences.
One defendant from the other group, Christopher Nevarez, received a 12-year prison term on a single COCCA count. Three members of his group received deferred sentences on lesser burglary and theft felony counts.
Two other men from the non-gang-affiliated group, Charees Loftin and Javier Jurado, have yet to resolve their cases. Each is charged with COCCA violations among dozens of other charges.
“Let these lengthy sentences serve as a warning to anyone involved in criminal enterprises that they too could spend decades in prison for their actions,” Denver Police Chief stated after Anderson’s sentencing.
“This case, and those of Anderson’s co-defendants, demonstrates that law enforcement agencies throughout the Denver metro area are committed to working together to disrupt and disband dangerous criminal organizations,” added Denver District Attorney John Walsh. His agency led the investigations with the help of Denver PD and the FBI’s Violent Criminal Enterprise Task Force (V.C.E.T.F.) and spearheaded the prosecutions. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Aurora Police Department, and the Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (R.A.V.E.N.) also contributed to the investigation.
6/5/23 – Kaya Cannabis located at 12018 West Jewell Avenue, $49,332 in merchandise stolen.
6/8/23 – Kaya Cannabis hit again, approximately $10,000 in damage to the business and $45,520 in merchandise taken.
6/12/23 – Stadium Gardens, 5441 Quebec Street in Commerce City, $20,000 in damage and $40,000 in merchandise stolen.
– Ascend to Ascend, 10712 West Alameda Avenue in Lakewood, unsuccessful attempt to break in.
– Golden Meds, 2636 Youngfield Street in Lakewood, about $5,000 damage, $3,063 in merchandise.
– Ajoya, 10590 West Colfax Avenue in Lakewood, $7,400 merchandise.
6/16/23 – Armed carjackig at E. 14th & Colorado Blvd.
– Trenchtown Dispensary, 734 North Sheridan Boulevard in Denver, undetermined loss.
– Colorado Best Meds, 4800 West Lamar Street in Wheat Ridge, $10,000 damage, $50,000 in cash and $42,555 in inventory taken.
6/21/23 – Armed carjacking at 6th Ave ramp to SB I-25.
– Social Cannabis at 5068 North Federal Boulevard, Denver, unsuccessful attempt to break in.
– Ascend Cannabis, West Alameda Avenue in Lakewood, unsuccessful attempt.
– Pig N Whistle dispensary, 4801 West Colfax Avenue in Denver, $7,500 damage, $2,751 in products stolen.
– Rocky Mountain Dispensary, 990 West 6th Avenue, Denver, $9,900 damage, $22,271 stolen merchandise.
– Spark Dispensary at 4799 North Colorado Boulevard in Denver, unsuccessful.
6/23/23 – Stolen truck seen at Thornton gas station, pursuit on E. 88th Avenue to 100mph, truck spun out by police at 84th and I-25 ramp, footchase, two men arrested and handguns recovered. Zuniga remained in back seat, arrested, gun recovered. Bed of truck contained prybars, rubber gloves, and drawers with barcodes that matched the Rocky Mountain Dispensary.
7/1/23 – Rocky Road Remedies at 3901 East 112th Avenue in Thornton, more than $9,300 in merchandise taken, ATM stolen from the business that contained between $20,000 and $30,000 cash.
7/21/23 – armed carjacking at S. Buckley Rd and E. Iliff Ave.
– Native Roots dispensary at 2645 South Santa Fe Drive in Denver, unsuccessful attempt.
– Horizon Cannabis located at 6745 West Mississippi Avenue in Lakewood, break-in was interrupted by patrol officer but $2,500 damage suffered and more than $14,000 in merchandise taken.
7/23/23 – Armed carjacking in 3500 block of N. Vallejo Street in Denver.
– Bgood Dispensary at 11450 Cherokee Street in Northglenn, $1,600 damage, two suspects arrested on scene, others fled. No merchandise stolen.
10/2/23 – Smokin’ Rich market at 16868 East Iliff Avenue in Aurora, $5350 in damage, $950 taken from register and ATM, $11,300 in merchandise.
– Havana Halal Market at 868 South Havana Street in Aurora, ATM stolen but no cash inside.
10/9/23 – Jars Dispensary at 6299 Federal Boulevard, $9,720 damage, more than $27,000 in inventory stolen, but ATM theft unsuccessful.
10/10/23 – Dragon Originals marijuana processing laboratory at 4093 North Jackson Street, $24,100 in merchandise removed.
10/20/23 – Car theft in Aurora.
– General Store at 4130 East Colfax Avenue in Denver, entered store but alarm went off, unsuccessful.
– Callie’s Cannabis at 777 North Canosa Court in Denver, unsuccessful.
– Jars Cannabis at 4305 North Brighton Boulevard in Denver, about $4500 in damage and $6600 in merchandise.
10/21/23 – Apothecary Farms at 2251 South Broadway Street in Denver, unsuccessful, $4,000 in damage caused.
– Chronic Factory at 150 North Rio Grande Boulevard in Denver, unsuccessful.
– Shop-N-Go at 3501 South Logan Street in Englewood, gained entry, $1,000 damage to cash register.
10/22/23 – Positive Spin Laundry at 4301 West 38th Avenue in Denver, gained entry but unsuccessful.
– Denver Kush Club at 2615 Welton Street, gained entry, $2,000 damage, failed to access vault.
– Sky High Smoke Shop at 64 North Broadway in Denver, $100 of product taken, $2,000 in damage.
11/12/23 – Kind Castle Organic Cannabis Superstore at 4970 Monaco Street in Commerce City, $7,800 damage, $9,000 cash and $4,200 of product stolen.
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