Denver District Attorney Beth McCann announced that a grand jury in Denver has indicted 17 individuals linked to a significant auto theft operation in the area. The indictment includes 222 charges, such as violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, over one hundred counts of auto theft, several counts of drug possession and distribution, and multiple counts of identity theft, theft, criminal possession of identification documents, and financial devices.
The defendants are accused of stealing at least 190 vehicles between September 2022 and February 2024. These vehicles were mainly high-end pickup trucks, resulting in losses estimated at $9.5 million. The stolen vehicles were allegedly transported to Mexico and exchanged with drug cartel members for cocaine and methamphetamine, which were then brought into the U.S. and distributed in Denver.
The investigation spanned over a year and involved collaboration among several agencies: the Colorado Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, National Insurance Crime Bureau, and the Denver DA’s office.
"These indictments should send the message that people who steal cars in Denver will be caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law," said DA McCann. "The number of stolen cars in Denver has decreased dramatically over the past two years thanks, in large part, to the incredible work of the law enforcement community. I am confident that the arrests of these 17 defendants will drive the number of stolen cars even lower," she added. "I want to thank the prosecutors and investigators in my office for their incredible work on this case. I also want to thank all the law enforcement agencies who worked together on this lengthy investigation to continue to keep our city safe."
The mission of the Denver DA’s Office is to prosecute crimes professionally on behalf of Colorado's people while seeking equal justice for all within the criminal justice system. This includes preventing crimes, supporting victims, participating in community activities, ensuring transparency and accountability, and improving justice system alternatives where appropriate.
