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Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office

Former Arapahoe teacher sentenced for sex assault on student

A former Arapahoe High School drama teacher was sentenced Friday to 5 years in prison for sexually assaulting one of his students.

Ian Ahern

Arapahoe County District Court Judge Michael Spear sentenced Ian Ahern for the sex assault on a 17-year-old student that took place in 2014 but was not reported until 2019.

Ahern pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, both Class 3 felonies. Other charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement, which kept the victim from having to testify at trial.

“This predator posing as a teacher took advantage of a vulnerable student. He abused his position, he abused her trust and he shattered her life,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “In addition, what he did negatively impacted his colleagues, the school and the community. We just get to sentence him for what he did to his victim, and for that alone, he deserves to go to prison. Well after he serves time in prison, the aftermath of his conduct will continue to haunt those most directly impacted by it.”

In early 2019, the victim told a friend, who reported the assault via Safe2Tell.

The victim told investigators that after the murder of student Claire Davis, she sought support from Ahern. He in turn touched her inappropriately and tried to have a romantic relationship with the vulnerable student. The repeated sex assaults left the victim devastated.

“I am the victim he chose to sexually assault for months. I struggled tremendously after the shooting, and he took advantage and manipulated me,” the victim told the judge in a statement read to the court. “I kept the burden of his secret for five years … But I could no longer allow other potential victims to interact with him. Now he can carry the burden of his actions.”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Danielle Jaramillo prosecuted the case with Deputy District Attorney Lisa Gramer.

“The position this defendant held is one of the most trusted in our community,” Jaramillo said in her sentencing argument. “Parents assume when they send their children to school that they will be safe. This defendant completely abused that trust. What he did affects the entire community and he deserves to be punished.”

Spear sentenced Ahern to five years in the Colorado Department of Corrections on each count, to be served concurrently, followed by five years of parole. Ahern must register as a sex offender.

48 years for Arapahoe Co. murder shared via Facebook Messenger video

A man who savagely beat his caregiver to death and shared the video on social media was sentenced Thursday to 48 years in prison.

Brad Everette Baker

Arapahoe District Court Judge Ben Leutwyler sentenced Brad Baker, 22, for the murder of Harsono Harsono, who was 61 when he was killed.

The judge noted the “tremendously aggravated nature of this crime” in imposing the maximum sentence permitted under the plea agreement.

“Heinous crimes like this make us question the society in which we live. How can a good people produce someone capable of such villainy?” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “We must be protected from a person who viciously preys upon someone who only can be blamed for caring for them — and then shares it via social media. This is why we build prisons.”

On June 4, 2017, neighbors called 911 to report a lengthy, violent attack in the apartment next door. Baker lived there with Harsono, who was his host home provider.

Arriving Arapahoe County deputies found Harsono bleeding profusely on the floor, a scene of chaos and destruction around him. An entertainment center and coffee table were overturned and a bedroom door was broken. Water and cooking oil were spilled, and blood splatters were on walls and the floor.

Harsono was taken to the hospital but ultimately died of his injuries.

The neighbor told deputies he had seen the other occupant leaving the apartment in Harsono’s van.

Aurora police found Baker in the van early the next morning, parked on a residential street. Baker was covered in dried blood.

Meanwhile, a Colorado Springs man called 911 to report he saw his acquaintance Baker on a video beating another man with chairs and a frying pan. Later interviews with the man revealed Baker had contacted the man via Facebook Messenger video chat. Phone records indicated the video lasted 13 minutes.

“This was a particularly brutal and heinous crime,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Andrew Steers told the court during his sentencing argument on Dec. 5. “Mr. Harsono was beaten with everything in that room. And the man who received the video told investigators Baker laughed as he did it. This was an intentional act.”

Steers tried the case with Senior Deputy District Attorney Brian Eckhardt.

“Mr. Harsono fled religious persecution in Indonesia and was making a new life here,” Eckhardt said. “He chose a life of service, and he did nothing but try to help the defendant. Instead of gratitude, he received a brutal beating. His daughters’ last moments with their father are painful memories.

“The maximum sentence might not help them heal, but it is the appropriate resolution for this horrific crime.”

Baker pleaded guilty Aug. 29, 2019, to one count of second-degree murder and one count of aggravated robbery. Additional charges against him were dismissed as part of the plea agreement. Charges are still pending against the man alleged to be his accomplice.

AFA instructor pleads guilty to sexual exploitation of a child

A 29-year-old Colorado Springs man has pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child, a Class 3 felony.

Paul D. Sikkema

Paul D. Sikkema will have to register as a sex offender and will have 10 years of Sex Offender Intensive Supervised Probation.

Sikkema was a captain teaching ethics at the Air Force Academy when he was charged in April of this year. The charges came from the work of investigators with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children unit.

A deputy made contact with Sikkema in an online chat room and purported to be a 14-year-old girl. Sikkema continued to correspond with the investigator, sharing photos and texts that described explicit sexual conduct and proposed a meeting.

“No person is above the law, including a commissioned Air Force officer who teaches — wait for it — ethics … to future officers. This conduct is shameful for the perpetrator and embarrassing for our phenomenal Air Force Academy,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “Predators are always looking for young, vulnerable victims. Our ability to identify and quickly stop them is directly related to the funding we have for our Internet Crimes Against Children team. We are proud to work with them and prosecute those who target our children.”

Sikkema also faces up to 90 days in jail when he is sentenced Dec. 13.

Aurora man sentenced to 18 years for fatal hit-run crash

Arapahoe County District Court Judge Darren Vahle sentenced an Aurora driver to 18 years in prison for dragging a woman under his trailer before driving off, leaving the woman dead in the street.

Henry Lawrence Wardwell,

Henry Lawrence Wardwell, 49, was on probation in a felony menacing case when he struck and killed Juliet Powell-Brown, who was 47 when she died. A jury convicted Wardwell on May 15, 2019, of five counts, including leaving the scene of an accident involving death, a Class 3 felony.

Wardwell was driving without a valid operator’s license and he did not have insurance for his vehicle.

“You have done a terrible thing, and you have to pay for that. There is nothing more serious than the death of another person,” Vahle told Wardwell during sentencing Thursday. “You have shown you don’t care what the law is, whether or not you are allowed to drive. You have multiple ‘driving under suspension’ convictions, yet you drove a car you had no business driving. You backed up into innocent victims, and you ran away.

“The message that cannot be sent is: Go ahead, disregard the law, you’ll get a light sentence. That cannot be the message.”

District Attorney George Brauchler approved of the sentence.

“What kind of person mortally wounds another member of our community and then leaves them to die an unimaginable death?” Brauchler said. “To do so while on probation for another felony conviction proves that there is only one place for this selfish miscreant: prison. No license + no insurance + no human decency = no freedom. Of course, under our ridiculous sentencing scheme, this repeat felon will be eligible for parole in a fraction of his earned sentence. Colorado deserves better.”

On Aug. 7, 2018, Powell-Brown was with her family at a tire store on South Chambers Road in Aurora. Wardwell backed into their car. He was driving a pickup truck towing a travel trailer.

Wardwell told Powell-Brown and her husband that he would retrieve his registration and insurance papers. Instead, he drove off.

Powell-Brown and her husband followed Wardwell to the intersection of Mexico and Chambers, where they got out of their car and confronted him.
Wardwell did a U-turn to get away. He struck Powell-Brown, who fell under the wheels of the trailer.

Wardwell drove away, dragging Powell-Brown until she was dislodged near East Bails Place. Wardwell kept driving.

Numerous witnesses saw all of the events. One witness made a video recording of the crime. Another witness followed Wardwell when he drove away; she called 911 and directed officers to his vehicle. Aurora Police arrested him near South Sable Boulevard and East Arkansas Drive.

Powell-Brown’s family and pastor attended the sentencing hearing.

“The nightmares keep occurring for all of us. We lost a loving mother, a wife, my best friend and confidant,” her husband told the judge. “These losses can never be recouped. We have been given a life sentence.”

Deputy District Attorney Daniel Warhola asked Judge Vahle for a 20-year sentence. The presumptive sentencing range on the top count was 8-24 years.

“This defendant killed Juliet Powell-Brown. There is no way around that,” said Warhola, who tried the case with Deputy District Attorney Megan Brewer. “He ran from the scene and tried to run from his problems. His disregard for the lives of others is concerning and appalling.”

Vahle sentenced Wardwell to 18 years in the Colorado Department of Correction on the top count, leaving the scene of an accident involving death; 12 years in DOC for vehicular homicide-reckless driving, to be served concurrently; 90 days in jail for failing to report an accident; 90 days in jail for driving under restraint; and 90 days in jail for no having drivers insurance. Wardwell has already been in jail more than a year since the accident.

Report on Nov. 15, 2018, shooting in Centennial

Review of the shooting death of Allen Llewelyn Fanning by three Arapahoe County Sheriff’s deputies on Arapahoe Road near Dayton Street

OIS Letter Link

58 years in prison for murder at Cherry Creek State Park

An Aurora drug dealer was sentenced Thursday to 58 years in prison for fatally shooting another man during a party at Cherry Creek State Park.

Joseph Washington

Arapahoe District Court Judge Patricia Herron sentenced Joseph Wayne Washington, 31, for the Aug, 13, 2017, death of Jackson Lee Chavez, who was 26.

In March a jury found Washington guilty of second-degree murder. The jury also found Washington guilty of witness tampering and numerous counts of possession of drugs with the intent to distribute, among other charges.

“It is increasingly challenging to come up with new and novel ways to express outrage and disgust over the angry, gutless and homicidal use of firearms in our community,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “This must stop. There was no reason for Jackson Chavez to die. This defendant has proven he is does not belong in our community of law-abiding citizens. This is why we build prisons.”

Chavez was at a barbeque and got into an altercation with another man. Washington witnessed this. He got a gun from his backpack and shot Chavez twice.

After the murder, the defendant fled the scene, ditched his vehicle, got rid of the gun and made plans to leave town.

Investigators from the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office interviewed witnesses, tracked Washington down and arrested him.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Thomas Byrnes and Deputy District Attorney Laura Robilotta.

Members of Chavez’s family addressed the court during sentencing.

“For me, there will be no parole or release date,” his mother told Judge Herron in a statement. “I see (Jackson’s) neck and his chest, knowing that two different bullets shattered every major organ in his body. I imagine how he looked contorting and writhing in pain as he gasped for air and choked on his own blood. And I wonder how his face looked as he died. That is how it ends for him. And that is what is stamped over every memory I have.”

She added: “I believe (Washington) is a dangerous person. He should not be allowed to cause this kind of pain to anyone else.”

Herron sentenced Washington to 38 years for Murder 2; the additional years in prison are for the other counts. Some of those were concurrent and some were consecutive.

Judge gives woman 50 years in prison for Arapahoe murder

A woman who shot and killed an unarmed man in front of his girlfriend has been sentenced to 50 years in prison.

Jacqueline Lucero

Arapahoe County District Court Judge Darren Vahle sentenced Jacqueline Yvonne Lucero, 35, for the murder of Adolph Arellano, who was 30 years old when he died.

“Yet another convicted felon — for attempted aggravated robbery — finds a way to obtain a handgun and use it violently. Here she ended an argument by ending a life. And then decided to lead law enforcement on a high-speed chase through our community. Such behavior demands incarceration to protect the innocent and punish the killer,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “Coloradans should know that our convoluted, mysterious sentencing system will likely result in this 35-year-old murderer serving only about half of her well-earned prison sentence before becoming eligible to be paroled back into our community. We deserve better.”

On Oct. 30, 2017, Arapahoe County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the parking lot at 309 E Highline Circle. They found a man, later identified as Arellano, who had been shot in the stomach.

Arellano’s girlfriend told deputies they had come to speak with a woman in the one of the units who owed Arellano money. The woman, identified as Lucero, and Arellano argued in the apartment. Arellano and his girlfriend went out to their car. Lucero followed, the argument continued, and Lucero shot Arellano, who was not armed.

Arellano did not survive his injuries.

Lucero left the scene of the shooting. Investigators identified her and obtained a warrant for her arrest. She was spotted a week later near Quebec and 56th Avenue in Denver. Officer tried to pull her over, but she led them on a high-speed chase through Denver, unincorporated Arapahoe County and Aurora before she crashed near Alameda Avenue and Potomac Street.

“This woman stalked Mr. Arellano to his car, trying to continue an argument that was already over,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Gallo, who prosecuted the case. “She used a handgun to end that argument, and she violently ended the life of an unarmed man.”

On Feb. 5, 2019, an Arapahoe County jury found Lucero guilty of second-degree murder, vehicular eluding and possession of a weapon by a previous offender.

Judge Vahle sentenced her April 25 to 44 years in the Department of Corrections on the murder count; six years on the eluding count, to be served consecutively; and 18 months concurrent on the weapons charge.

Aurora drug dealer convicted of murder in shooting death at state park

An Aurora drug dealer has been found guilty of shooting and killing a man at Cherry Creek State Park.

An Arapahoe District Court jury on Wednesday found Joseph Wayne Washington, 31, guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Jackson Lee Chavez, who was 26. The jury also found Washington guilty of numerous counts of possession of drugs with the intent to distribute, among other charges.

Chavez was at a barbeque and got into an altercation with another man. Washington witnessed this. He got a gun from his backpack and shot Chavez twice.

“Add this murder to the growing list of senseless killings that make us question the direction in which our community is headed. There was no reason for Jackson Chavez to die,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “We have become exasperated by the number of people among us who believe violence — including shooting someone to death — is an acceptable response to arguments and altercations. This is why we build prisons.”

The defense tried to convince the jury the murder was in self-defense. Prosecutors presented evidence to the contrary.

““The defendant was not legally authorized to use deadly physical force. This was murder,” Deputy District Attorney Laura Robilotta told the jury during closing arguments on March 18. “One to two punches is not a reason to use deadly force.”

After the murder, the defendant fled the scene, ditched his vehicle, got rid of the gun and made plans to leave town.

Investigators from the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office interviewed witnesses, tracked him down and arrested him.

“This defendant shot and killed Jackson Chavez by putting 2 bullets in his chest and neck. He did it on purpose,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Thomas Byrnes. “He showed no regard for the life of Jackson Chavez that day.”

Sentencing is set for May 30. The presumptive range for just the top count is 16 to 48 years in prison.

42 years in prison for Centennial murder

A Colorado Springs man has been sentenced to 42 years in prison for shooting and killing a man in the parking lot of a Centennial business.

Nicholas Locascio

Arapahoe District Court Judge Andrew Baum on Feb. 15 sentenced Nicholas Lee Locascio, 30, in the March 22 death of Justin Doe. Locascio pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in October 2018. The top range of the plea agreement was 42 years, so Locascio received the maximum sentence.

“A completely random act of homicidal violence and an innocent life is stolen from our community,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “We have no answers for such an unpredictable act of evil. But there can be justice. Sending the man who did this to prison for a very long time is the right outcome. This is another reason why we build prisons.”

Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to QED, a business at 7000 S. Jordan Road about 10:45 on March 22 to investigate a reported shooting.

Doe was found outside on the ground. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner later determined he died of a gunshot wound to the head.

Investigators spoke to eyewitnesses and found evidence that led them to Locascio as a suspect. He was arrested later that day near a fitness club in Aurora. Locascio tried to hide methamphetamine from the arresting officers.

Investigators found no prior connection between Locascio and Doe.

“After senselessly executing an innocent man, the defendant attempted to evade responsibility by fleeing the scene,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Elizabeth Oldham, who prosecuted the case with Senior Deputy District Attorney Garrick Storgaard. “Through the swift response of law enforcement he was arrested and brought to justice with a sentence to 42 years in prison.”

Doe’s mother was glad the judge imposed the maximum sentence possible under the plea agreement.

“The sentence cannot bring Justin back, but at least the defendant is behind bars and cannot harm anyone else,” she said.

Mother and son get life for killing witness to pot shop robbery

A mother and son were sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole for killing a witness to the robbery of a marijuana shop.

Arapahoe County District Court Judge Ryan Stuart sentenced Tina Black, 51, and Terance Black, 28, on Feb. 21 after a jury convicted both of them Feb. 15 of “first-degree murder after deliberation” and “conspiracy to commit first-degree murder after deliberation” in the death of David Henderson.

Tina Black

Terance Black

“The Henderson family lost a good man … I think our community lost a very good man,” said Stuart in imposing sentences. “This was a crime that struck at the heart of the Henderson family and struck at the heart of our criminal justice system.”

District Attorney George Brauchler praised Henderson.

“David Henderson is someone who’s to be commended for the guts and the courage to come forward and do the right thing,” Brauchler said. “Terance and Tina Black, in this case, are evil people for having done exactly what they did – which was to silence him and protect.”

He added: “This is the nightmare scenario, and the great concern I have as someone who relies on good people in the community to talk about when crimes have been committed … I do not want them to come away from this case and feel like, man, it’s just not worth the risk.”

Henderson, 48, was shot and killed outside his Denver home on Oct. 12, 2016. Two months earlier, on Aug. 14, the Cure Dispensary at 6200 E. Yale Ave. was robbed at gunpoint.

Both Blacks were staying at a nearby hotel when the robbery occurred, and Henderson was hired by them to perform maintenance on the vehicle of a man they both knew.

Henderson was working on the man’s car when Terance Black and accomplices in the robbery arrived back at the hotel. Henderson saw them unload more than 440 pounds of stolen marijuana. He saw masks and gloves in Tina Back’s car.
Henderson called Denver police to tell them what he knew, saying he believed that the people involved in the robbery were gang members.

At some point about a month after the robbery, Terance Black and accomplices were identified, and the court mistakenly sent out the unredacted, full discovery evidence to every person involved in the case. Someone who got the records discussed Henderson’s involvement with Terance Black.

Terance Black and Tina Black planned Henderson’s murder after they saw he was a key witness.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Andrew Steers asked the court to “send a message” in sentencing Terance Black.

“The community spoke, and they said, ‘This system is more important that Terance Black.’ It’s important to send a message to the public … These are good people, and to have this happen to them is part of the tragedy of the case.”

The case “goes to the heart of who we are as a country and the heart of our judicial system,” he said.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Darcy Kofol also asked for a message to be sent with the sentence of Tina Black.

David Henderson’s death “was calculated, orchestrated and planned by her and her son. … She still believes she is above this justice system, and she continues to make threats,” Kofol said. “This is a message to anyone who thinks to execute a witness in the future: This is not what we stand for here in Colorado. She committed the ultimate atrocity to our justice system.”

Tina Black was also convicted of “conspiracy to commit first-degree burglary” and “conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery,” The judge added 32 years to her life sentence.

David Henderson’s family was pleased with the trial’s outcome and spoke to the media afterwards.

Dave “was scared the whole time,” his younger sister said. “He didn’t have the proper protection, and, you know, it’s just a shame that his life got taken from trying to do the right thing.”

She added: “It’s important I go public and talk about it, because I want people to know they can’t get away with this. You should never threaten a witness and you should never murder a witness.”

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