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FBI

Grand jury returns 54-count indictment in crime spree involving aggravated robberies, shootings and motor vehicle thefts

This month, a grand jury indicted six individuals for their alleged roles in running a sophisticated criminal enterprise involving identity theft, forgery, aggravated motor vehicle theft, aggravated robbery and attempted murders.

The following defendants are named in a 54-count indictment filed in an October 7, 2022 indictment:

Kaile Stevens

Keandre Stevens

Omari Davis

Tavarious Robinson

Jadeen Hollumn

Emmazetta Chargingcrow

The preliminary investigation uncovered that this group of friends and family members participated in an identity theft and forgery operation resulting in multiple fraudulent purchases of luxury vehicles that were utilized in the commission of multiple aggravated motor vehicle thefts, aggravated robberies and burglaries.

On August 17, 2021, police responded to a motor vehicle accident involving a Mercedes Benz on S. Buckley and E. Quincy Avenue. Two men, later identified as Jadeen Hollumn and Tavarious Robinson ran away from the accident scene. Officers searched the vehicle and found a rifle, a laser for a firearm and stolen mail that belonged to multiple identity theft victims.

Officers discovered the Mercedes Benz also had a fictitious tag on it and learned the vehicle was registered to one of the ID theft victims.

Thanks to the hard work of an investigator from the Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR), the investigation showed that this criminal enterprise used stolen identities to buy vehicles through fraudulent loans and that the driver’s license information provided to the car dealerships was not a registered license number in their database.

The following vehicles were illegally obtained between 2021 and 2022 using a stolen identity:

June 9, 2021: 2018 Mercedes Benz GLC 32 AMG

December 8, 2021: 2022 Kia Forte

December 9, 2021: 2016 Honda Pilot

December 13, 2021: 2019 Mercedes Benz CLA 250

December 15, 2021: 2018 Audi Q5

December 18, 2021: 2016 Mercedes Benz GLE

December 18, 2021: 2019 Mercedes Benz GLC

December 22, 2021: 2017 BMW X4

December 31, 2021: 2017 Hyundai Elantra

May 31, 2022: 2019 Mazda CX-9

July 14, 2022: 20218 Mercedes Benz

Some of the stolen vehicles listed above were also identified as being used in a series of aggravated robberies at multiple area convenience stores.

The following robberies are believed to be connected with this criminal enterprise:

January 19, 2022: 7-Eleven (E. Mississippi Avenue)

January 20, 2022: 7-Elevent (E. 8^thAvenue)

January 20, 2022: 7-Eleven (E. 45^th Avenue)

January 26, 2022: 7-Eleven (E. 88^th Avenue)

January 26, 2022: Circle K (N. Washington St.)

January 28, 2022: 7-Eleven (E. Mississippi Ave.)

January 28, 2022: 7-Eleven (10000 block of Girard St.)

On February 1, 2022 at approximately 10 a.m., officers were dispatched to a shots fired call at a local apartment complex on E. 13^th Place. The vehicle witnesses saw leaving the scene was identified as one of the stolen Mercedes Benz’. Fortunately, no one was injured in this shooting.

Two hours later at the same complex, Aurora police officers were dispatched to a second shooting call. This time, one person was injured.

A day after these shootings occurred, officers executed a search warrant at an apartment where two of the defendants, Kaile Stevens and her son Keandre were living.

Officers searched the apartment and found numerous evidence including:

-Car keys to stolen vehicles

-A distinctive sweatshirt and two hoodies which were seen at many of the aggravated robberies

-Personal information from ID theft victims

“These conspirators stole social security cards, credit cards and ID’s, which we believe were then given to Kalie Stevens to further her complex fraud operation and gain money for her family and their friends,” Chief Deputy DA Darcy Kofol said. “Kaile Stevens, the matriarch of this group, ran a scheme that allowed her, her children and their friends to use these high end luxury vehicles for free and then committed multiple aggravated robberies and shootings.”

This case was solved due to the hard work of our partner agencies, including the FBI, Aurora Police Department and Colorado Department of Revenue.

“This criminal operation terrorized convenience store clerks throughout my district and destroyed the credit and lives of hard-working citizens who had their identities stolen,” District Attorney John Kellner said. “I commend the investigators who spent countless hours to shut this operation down and we look forward to the day we can present this case in court.”

As of Wednesday morning, Emmazetta Chargingcrow is the only defendant currently out on bond pending trial.

“These indictments exemplify why partnerships are so important to the FBI Denver Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, whose mission is to identify and target individuals and criminal enterprise groups engaged in violent crimes. Here we have a criminal organization of family members operating in numerous counties in Colorado and other states. This scheme began with identity theft and forgery and escalated to car thefts and armed robberies,” said FBI Denver Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor. “The collaboration, expertise, and relationships of our local, state and federal partners enabled us to put a stop to this violent organization and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

NOTE: All defendants arrested and charged are considered innocent until proven guilty. A copy of the grand jury indictment (2022CR1) can be obtained via the Courts.

O. Davis

J. Hollumn

E. Chargingcrow

T. Robinson

Kaile Stevens

Keandre Stevens

8 indicted on 69 counts after gang holds up 8 stores at gunpoint

The 18th Judicial District Grand Jury has indicted eight people on 69 counts including violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act (COCCA) and numerous counts of aggravated robbery and kidnapping. Some defendants are also charged with assault and attempted murder.

The indictment alleges that the gang members held up employees of cell phone stores at gunpoint and stole expensive cell phones, which they later sold. The group also robbed a marijuana dispensary, and some members tried to kill the man who had been selling the stolen phones.

The Aurora Police Department and the FBI’s Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force were key investigators of these crimes, along with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department and Denver Police Department.

The defendants are linked to these armed robberies:

Jan. 21 AT&T store Aurora
Jan. 25 Verizon store Highlands Ranch
Jan. 28 T-Mobile store Denver
Feb 2 T-Mobile store Westminster
Feb. 11 T-Mobile store Aurora
Feb. 28 T-Mobile store Denver
Mar. 3 Verizon store Aurora
Mar. 15 X-Clusive Cannabis Aurora

These are the eight criminal cases in Arapahoe County District Court:

Jermaine Jerome Wright, 24, of Aurora: Case No. 2021CR803. Arraignment is set for June 9.
• 1 count of COCCA – pattern of racketeering (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(3)
• 1 count of COCCA – conspiracy (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(4)
• 8 counts of second-degree kidnapping (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-3-302(1),(3)
• 2 counts of attempted first-degree murder (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-3-102(1)
• 1 count of first-degree assault (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-3-202(1)(a)
• 9 counts of aggravated robbery (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-4-303(1)
• 23 counts of aggravated robbery (Class 3 felony) CRS 18-4-302(1)
• 1 count of money laundering (Class 3 felony) CRS 18-5-309(1)(a)(II)
• 1 count marijuana possess with intent (Drug felony Class 2) CRS 18-18-406(2)(b)(I),(III)(B)

Cartrell Bounds, 24, of Denver: Case No. 2021CR804. Arraignment is set for June 9.
• 1 count of COCCA – pattern of racketeering (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(3)
• 1 count of COCCA – conspiracy (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(4)
• 4 counts of second-degree kidnapping (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-3-302(1),(3)
• 9 counts of aggravated robbery (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-4-303(1)
• 2 counts of attempted first-degree murder (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-3-102(1)
• 1 count of first-degree assault (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-3-202(1)(a)
• 19 counts of aggravated robbery (Class 3 felony) CRS 18-4-302(1)

Kove A Davis, 28: Case No. 2021CR805. First appearance is set for May 10.
• 1 count of COCCA – pattern of racketeering (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(3)
• 1 count of COCCA – conspiracy (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(4)
• 2 counts of second-degree kidnapping (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-3-302(1),(3)
• 4 counts of aggravated robbery (Class 3 felony) CRS 18-4-302(1)

Damon Tyree Webster, 28: Case No. 2021CR806. First appearance is set for May 7.
• 1 count of COCCA – pattern of racketeering (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(3)
• 1 count of COCCA – conspiracy (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(4)
• 6 counts of second-degree kidnapping (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-3-302(1),(3)
• 9 counts of aggravated robbery (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-4-303(1)
• 20 counts of aggravated robbery (Class 3 felony) CRS 18-4-302(1)

Marrell Lawayne Jones, 29: Case No. 2021CR807. Bond hearing is April 23.
• 1 count of COCCA – pattern of racketeering (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(3)
• 1 count of COCCA – conspiracy (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(4)
• 7 counts of second-degree kidnapping (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-3-302(1),(3)
• 10 counts of aggravated robbery (Class 3 felony) CRS 18-4-302(1)

Adrian Washington, 26, of Aurora: Case No. 2021CR808. First appearance is April 23.
• 1 count of COCCA – pattern of racketeering (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(3)
• 1 count of COCCA – conspiracy (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(4)
• 9 counts of aggravated robbery (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-4-303(1)
• 8 counts of aggravated robbery (Class 3 felony) CRS 18-4-302(1)

Hasina Nafisa Allen-Turner, 20: Case No. 2021CR809. Arraignment is June 9.
• 1 count of COCCA – pattern of racketeering (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(3)
• 1 count of COCCA – conspiracy (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(4)
• 9 counts of aggravated robbery (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-4-303(1)
• 8 counts of aggravated robbery (Class 3 felony) CRS 18-4-302(1)

Jalen Roosevelt Wright, 19, Aurora: Case No. 2021CR812. Status conference is June 9.
• 1 count of COCCA – pattern of racketeering (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(3)
• 1 count of COCCA – conspiracy (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-17-104(4)
• 2 counts of attempted first-degree murder (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-3-102(1)
• 1 count of first-degree assault (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-3-202(1)(a)
• 9 counts of aggravated robbery (Class 2 felony) CRS 18-4-303(1)
• 8 counts of aggravated robbery (Class 3 felony) CRS 18-4-302(1)
• 1 count of money laundering (Class 3 felony) CRS 18-5-309(1)(a)(II)
• 1 count marijuana possess with intent (Drug felony Class 2) CRS 18-18-406(2)(b)(I),(III)(B)

The presumptive sentencing range for a Class 2 felony is 8-24 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.

The filing of a criminal charge is merely a formal accusation that an individual committed a crime under Colorado law. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

304 years for leader of human trafficking & forgery ring

The leader of a human trafficking and forgery ring was sentenced last week to 304 years in prison, one of the longest sentences ever for trafficking.

Chauncey Price

Douglas County District Court Judge Theresa Slade sentenced Chauncey Price, 30, during a hearing on Oct. 8. The sentence is 304 years to life in the Colorado Department of Corrections, an indeterminate sentence. A jury found Price guilty in December of 13 counts including COCCA, human trafficking for sexual servitude, pandering of a child and forging a government security. His sentence was enhanced because the court found him to be a habitual offender as Price had been convicted previously of four separate felonies, including two instances of burglary.

Three of his victims testified during the trial how he forced them to have sex with strangers for money that they had to turn over to him. He and his associates placed online ads offering the women and girls, then rented hotel rooms for the sex acts.

During sentencing on Oct. 8, an advocate read a statement from one of his victims.

“Chauncey promised to take care of me. At first he paid for my drug habit and food and let me stay for free. But nothing is free. … He threatened to kill my sister if I didn’t work for him – that is when he turned me out. He kept pushing me to sleep with more and more men, up to eight a day. …

“I couldn’t even use the bathroom without someone watching me. Once I didn’t eat for 3 days,” the victim wrote in describing the humiliation, subjugation, pain and terror she lived through while Price prostituted her.

She added: “I want to make it clear that I came forward to save others from him … He exploited young girls, controlled them and manipulated them. He will continue to do that if he ever gets out.”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Kelley Dziedzic spoke of what Price did to his victims in asking the judge for a sentence of 304 years, with consecutive sentences for each named victim.

“Any reasonable good person would have looked at these victims and would have extended sympathy or empathy, but Price only looked at them and saw opportunity,” Dziedzic said. “His victims will live with the repercussions of his actions for the rest of their lives. They have a lifelong struggle ahead of them.”

Dziedzic, who prosecuted the case with Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Gallo, also made note of Price’s extensive criminal history.

“He has been given deferred judgments and had them revoked. He has had probation revoked. He had community corrections revoked. He was in prison, and he committed new acts while out on parole. While out on bond in this case, he tried to contact one of his victims,” she said. “He has repeatedly turned his back on opportunities for rehabilitation. … In this case that stretched over nearly a year, he had numerous chances to step away, but he never chose to change his behavior.”

Five co-defendants previously were charged and sentenced in the case. Two of those cases included drug charges.

The criminal ring was also involved in producing counterfeit currency and used the trafficking victims to pass the fake money at businesses across the state. Two co-defendants received sentences for forgery.

“This horrendous case highlights why my office pushed for the creation of a Human Trafficking Unit,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “Traffickers trade in flesh and destroy souls, by using up their victims to further their criminal enterprises, with no regard whatsoever for the lives of fellow human beings. What possible rehabilitation can there be for someone who repeatedly and wantonly engages in this inhuman conduct? Spoiler alert: There is none. This is why we build prisons.

“Know, too, that these crimes occur in every community, right under the noses of law-abiding citizens. I am proud of the hard work we continue to do with law enforcement in my jurisdiction to stop the scourge of human trafficking.”

Participating agencies included the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Lone Tree Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Johnstown Police Department, Lakewood Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service.

On Dec. 17, 2019, a Douglas County jury found Price guilty of these counts:
• VIOLATION OF COLORADO ORGANIZED CRIME CONTROL ACT, C.R.S. 18-17-104(3) (F2)
• TRAFFICKING A MINOR FOR SEXUAL SERVITUDE, C.R.S. 18-3-504(2) (F2)
• HUMAN TRAFFICKING FOR SEXUAL SERVITUDE, C.R.S. 18-3-504 (F3)
• CRIMINAL ATTEMPT TO COMMIT PIMPING OF A CHILD, C.R.S. 18-7-405;18-2-101 (F4)
• CRIMINAL ATTEMPT TO COMMIT PATRONIZING A PROSTITUTED CHILD, C.R.S. 18-7-406(1)(a);18-2-101 (F4)
• PANDERING OF A CHILD, C.R.S. 18-7-403(1)(b) (F3)
• 2 counts of PIMPING, C.R.S. 18-7-206 (F3)
• 3 counts of FORGERY, C.R.S. 18-5-102(1)(a) (F5)
• POSSESSION OF FORGED INSTRUMENT, C.R.S. 18-5-105 (F6)
• POSSESSION OF A FORGERY DEVICE, C.R.S. 18-5-109(1)(d) (F6)

“This is not a normal sentence, but this was not a normal crime. You are not a defendant who deserves a minimum sentence,” Judge Slade told Price during sentencing. “You were a master at victimizing these women. … There is absolutely nothing this court can do to make these women whole.”

The longest sentence in a human trafficking case was handed down by Arapahoe County District Court Judge Peter Michaelson in November 2017 on habitual offender Brock Franklin, the leader of a trafficking ring. That sentence was announced as 472 years to life in prison, but the court later determined it had miscalculated Michaelson’s order; Franklin was actually sentenced to 400 years.

Gang member gets 35 years for Aurora crime spree

An admitted gang member has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for his role in a violent crime spree in Aurora.

Joshua Alonzo Cunningham

Arapahoe County District Court Judge Andrew Baum sentenced Joshua Alonzo Cunningham, 20, of Aurora, after he pleaded guilty May 6 to one count of attempted first-degree murder in one case, and to aggravated robbery with a firearm in a second case. Other charges he faced were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

On Dec. 8, 2017, Cunningham fired at a victim from a vehicle in a drive-by shooting on East 14th Avenue in Aurora, where he and other gang members targeted an individual they believed to be a rival gang member.

On Feb. 12, 2018, Cunningham robbed an O’Reilly Auto Parts store on South Havana Street in Aurora with a handgun, where he threatened a clerk and forced her to give him money from a cash register.

In July 2018, 14 co-defendants who were involved in the crime spree were arrested and charged. Cases against other defendants are still pending.

The cases were investigated by the ATF, the FBI Safe-Streets Task Force, and the Aurora Police Department, focusing on a pattern of gang-related aggravated robberies, burglaries, and shootings throughout the Denver metro area by members and associates of the Park Hill Bloods criminal street gang. Several firearms were recovered during the investigation and forensic technology allowed investigators to match ballistic evidence from several crime scenes, along with cell-phone information that contributed to the identification and apprehension of those responsible for the shootings.

“It takes the combined efforts of our fantastic law enforcement partners at Aurora PD, FBI, and ATF to help protect us from the seeming surge in violent crime being perpetrated by younger members of our community,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “Gang-related drive-by shootings are not limited to LA-based 1980s movies. They are here, and as long as there are those who engage in this extreme and lethal behavior, we will work to protect our community by removing them from it. This is why we build prisons.”