A career criminal and identified white supremacist today was sentenced to 48 years in prison for breaking into an Arapahoe County home where he was confronted by a teenage boy.
Ricky Reasoner
Ricky Lee Reasoner, 34, was found guilty Feb. 1 of second-degree burglary of a dwelling and first-degree criminal trespass.
Arapahoe District Judge Jeffrey Holmes ruled Reasoner was a habitual offender and sentenced him to four times the maximum presumptive sentences, as mandated by statute: 48 years for the burglary conviction and 12 years for the trespass conviction. Holmes ordered the sentences be served concurrently and also concurrent to sentences Reasoner is already serving.
“This was a grave and serious matter, as were the prior convictions,” Holmes said. “The legislature has determined this is necessary for the protection of society.”
On June 11, a 17-year-old boy was home alone in unincorporated Arapahoe County when he heard a noise downstairs. He saw a stranger sifting through items in the office. The teen confronted the man, and there was a physical struggle. Eventually the teen chased the man out. The teen called his parents and 911.
Arapahoe County Sheriff’s investigators interviewed the family and processed the crime scene.
On July 12, the teen saw a media report about a wanted man. The Colorado Department of Corrections was looking for a parolee who cut off his GPS monitor. The release said Ricky Reasoner was an Aryan Syndicate gang member with an extensive criminal history and was thought to be armed. The teen called investigators and said he recognized Reasoner by his “devil eyes.”
Reasoner’s first adult felony conviction was in 2002, Deputy District Attorney Laura Robilotta told the court. He has never successfully completed any sentence.
“Every time he was released on parole, he committed a new felony offense,” said Robilotta, who prosecuted the case with Senior Deputy District Attorney Jake Adkins. “He has demonstrated time and time again that he will re-victimize members of society when given the chance.”
“Take a look at this six-time convicted felon. He has self-selected to be voted off society’s island. He has turned his face into a billboard that announces his life’s creed. Spoiler alert: it isn’t ‘winner.’ This career felon is the reason we have habitual criminal,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “This guy commits new crimes the second he gets a chance. He has proven at every opportunity that he is no candidate for rehabilitation and does not deserve to be in our community.”
Reasoner’s previous convictions were: aggravated motor vehicle theft (F4), two counts of possession of a weapon by a previous offender (F6), two counts of first-degree trespass to a dwelling (F5), second-degree assault (F4), theft (F4), and accessory to a crime, class 3, 4, or 5 felony (F5).