Colorado
High-ranking Bandidos Motorcycle Club member escaped Denver court at sentencing hearing
DENVER – One of the highest-ranking members of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club cut off his ankle monitor and escaped from Denver District Court in late October just before he was sentenced on racketeering and drug trafficking charges.
Philip Duran, also known as “Bandido Fee,” 42, who is the National Sergeant at Arms with the Bandidos, escaped from court Oct. 28.
He was about to be sentenced, along with another Sergeant at Arms, Michael Mensen, and the Denver Westside Chapter President, Lorenzo Sojo.
The three were targeted as being the heads of a large drug distribution network that transported and sold drugs and guns across the western U.S., then laundered their money.
The Colorado Attorney General’s Office and Metro Gang Task Force had been investigating the Bandidos gang and its criminal activity since Sept. 2014 in the sting, dubbed “Operation Tick & Flea Collar.” They used wiretaps and other investigation methods to put their cases together.
All three men had already pleaded guilty to violating the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act and felony drug charges.
Duran escaped custody just before his sentencing, but Sojo was sentenced to 20 years in prison and Mensen was sentenced to 24 years.
A warrant has been issued for Duran’s arrest, and Crime Stoppers is offering a $2,000 reward. Police say he should be considered armed and dangerous.
It’s unclear exactly how Duran managed to escape custody at the courthouse. National Sergeant at Arms is among the highest rankings one can receive in a motorcycle club. Those in that position are often tasked with keeping members in line during meetings and activities, but also keeping their members safe from outside threats and law enforcement.
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Former Adams County deputy, wife charged after 2-year-old dies when shotgun goes off inside home
PARK COUNTY, Colo. – A former Adams County deputy who saw sexual assault charges brought by his ex-wife dropped last year now faces child abuse charges after one of his stepchildren was killed when a shotgun went off inside their home.
Jason Belmont, 45, faces investigation on child abuse resulting in death caused by negligence or recklessness and child abuse resulting in death with negligence charges, as well as six misdemeanor counts of child abuse without injury.
Belmont’s new wife, Stefanie Wray, also faces investigation on child abuse resulting in death charges.
The 2-year-old child was killed after being shot in the head when a shotgun being kept in a bathroom attached to the children’s playroom was knocked off a rack and went off.
A redacted affidavit for Belmont’s arrest says he showed up to a fire station on Nov. 13 to tell authorities a child had been shot at his Park County home, saying his cellphones were dead and that he couldn’t call 911.
Park County deputies who went to the home to investigate found the baby dead in the bathtub with the shotgun on the edge of the tub.
They said the entire house was filthy, and that there were walls and clothes smeared with feces, blood and urine throughout the house, where several other of Wray’s children also lived. There were also several makeshift “bedrooms” in the home’s basement made of plywood and unfinished, some of which had locks on the outside of the doors. Some of the children confirmed the “rooms” were their bedrooms.
The affidavit says that while the children were playing, several of them climbed up to look out of window in the bathroom, and one knocked the shotgun off a low-hanging towel rack.
The gun, which Belmont told officers he didn’t believe was loaded, went off, hitting the child in the head and killing him. Investigators say they found at least four other guns in the home as well.
Though the county coroner said the victim could not be identified to news media Tuesday because of the ongoing investigation, an obituary on the Dignity Memorial website names the child as John Paul Gaudreau III, saying he is survived by his “parents,” Jason and Stefanie.
Belmont was last in the news in March 2015, when the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office dismissed sexual assault charges brought forth against him by his ex-wife.
A warrant for Belmont’s arrest was issued by a Park County judge Monday, and Belmont was arrested by Chaffee County deputies Tuesday. His warrant carries a $50,000 bond.
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Lawsuit against US alleges Ft. Carson Army Color Guard member drunkenly beat man after rodeo
DENVER – A lawsuit filed in federal court Monday alleges a U.S. Army Color Guard member, based at Fort Carson, permanently injured a man in a drunken beating after a rodeo the color guard performed at earlier that day.
The suit, filed by Brandon Bunting in U.S. District Court in Denver, names the United States as the defendant since it is responsible for the actions of Army members.
The suit says Bunting attended the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs on July 11, 2015 and had a spot at a nearby campground to stay through the next day.
Army Color Guard members were performing at the rodeo and some had also chosen to camp at the nearby campground.
The suit says some of the color guard started drinking early in the morning of July 11 and were under the influence during their uniformed performance that evening.
The drinking continued after the rodeo at the campground, according to the suit.
At some point after midnight July 12, a member of the color guard named David Benavides became “progressively belligerent and confrontational,” according to the suit, despite a sergeant – Daniel Martin – being at the campground and with Benavides.
The lawsuit says Benvaides, unprovoked, started punching Bunting, eventually knocking him to the ground, where he continued to punch and kick Bunting.
Bunting was knocked unconscious during the incident, according to the suit, which says he suffered “permanent” injuries to his head and face.
The lawsuit says two witnesses confirmed Benavides started the fight and that Sgt. Martin and other Army Color Guard members stood by and watched, despite the fact that they “could have intervened and prevented the injuries suffered by [Bunting].”
Bunting is seeking compensation for past and future physical and economic injuries, medical expenses, and past and future suffering and emotional distress.
Fort Carson says Benavides was discharged in April.
Fort Carson officials sent Denver7 the following statement in regard to the lawsuit Tuesday afternoon:
“Fort Carson is aware of the suit against the Mounted Color Guard and the U.S. Government. The Soldier mentioned in the complaint was discharged from the Army on April 26, 2016. We are not going to discuss any ongoing court case. We are cooperating with the Department of Justice during this situation. Fort Carson expects its Soldiers to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the Army Values.”
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Denver grandmother arrested after allegedly slamming baby grandson on bed, causing brain bleed
DENVER – A Denver woman faces child abuse charges for allegedly slamming her 6-month-old grandson on a bed earlier this month.
Rebecca Laca, 56, is charged with child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury, a third-degree felony.
The Denver District Attorney’s Office says Laca was taking care of the boy on Nov. 11. At some point, she “became upset” with the boy and slammed him on a bed.
A probable cause statement written by police says the boy suffered a subdural brain bleed and bleeding in the back of his eyes as a result of the alleged abuse.
Laca has been released after posting a $50,000 bond and is next scheduled in court Dec. 27.
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Former Eagle, Sterling fire chief pleads guilty to theft, misconduct charges; faces max of 8 years
LOGAN COUNTY, Colo. – The former Sterling and Eagle fire chief arrested and fired in August for stealing $120,000 from Sterling pleaded guilty last week to theft and official misconduct charges.
Kurt Vogel was most-recently the chief of the Greater Eagle Fire Protection District after he spent nearly seven years as the head of the Sterling Fire Department.
But he was fired by Eagle County after he and his wife, Hope, were arrested in August on suspicion of theft, attempting to influence a public servant, official misconduct and forgery charges.
Vogel allegedly took firefighting equipment from the city as well. He and his wife allegedly took funds meant for the fire department and put it into their own bank accounts.
Vogel pleaded guilty on Thursday to theft over $20,000 and felony official misconduct charges, and the rest of his charges were dropped, according to The Denver Post.
Hope Vogel’s case remains ongoing. Kurt Vogel is set to be sentenced on Feb. 8, 2017 and faces a maximum eight years in prison, according to The Post.
Calls to the 13th Judicial District Attorney’s Office from Denver7 seeking comment went unreturned Monday.
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Donald Trump backs off some campaign promises, reinforces others in ’60 Minutes’ interview
DENVER – Americans got their first look at what a Donald Trump White House will look like Sunday in an interview with “60 Minutes,” and the president-elect is already tamping down expectations for some of the promises he made during the campaign season.
Trump’s interview with Leslie Stahl was done last week and released Sunday. The two talked about the election, taxes, the Affordable Care Act, foreign policy, immigration and the economy, among other subjects. Continue reading
Men accused of starting Cold Springs Fire sentenced to work release, probation, restitution
BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. – The two men who pleaded guilty to arson charges for starting the Cold Springs Fire, which destroyed eight homes in the Nederland area in July, will have to pay restitution and serve work release time.
Jimmy Suggs and Zackary Kuykendall, both originally from Vinemont, Alabama, will have to serve two years of work release and four years of probation, in addition to the restitution.
The amount the two will have to pay for starting the fire will be determined in the next 90 days.
Both pleaded guilty to fourth-degree arson charges in November. The fire, which started on a windy day in July, eventually burned around 500 acres and eight homes. At least 1,000 others people were evacuated because of the fire.
Suggs, Kuykendall and a woman named Elizabeth Burdeshaw were camping in the area at the time and failed to put their campfire out all the way before leaving.
Burdeshaw pleaded guilty earlier this year to trespassing charges and was sentenced to three years of probation. Prosecutors said there was no evidence to prove she had anything to do with the campfire.
Both Suggs and Kuykendall were arrested near the evacuation site people were sent to because of the fire.
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Howard Dean not pleased with de-icing at DIA during snowstorm, but thanks United crews
DENVER – Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean was among those not happy to be stuck on the tarmac at the Denver International Airport Thursday evening as a snowstorm moved through.
Dean, who is also the former Democratic National Committee Chair and ran for president in 2004, tweeted that he was stuck at the airport for five hours as crews worked to de-ice the plane and runways.
“Denver is a beautiful airport and possibly the worst run in the US,” he initially wrote.
Minutes later, he tweeted that the captain had told passengers the episode was the “longest de-icing in his career.”
Captain reports ” longest de icing in his career”. So far an hour and a half. Flights delayed four to five hours so far.
— Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) November 18, 2016
But just before 2 a.m. Friday, Dean was thanking United Airlines crews, saying “they never lost their cool.”
Kudos to the crew of @United 12 tonight. Five hour delay and they never lost their cool.
— Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) November 18, 2016
Several flights were canceled as the quick-moving storm blew through the DIA area. Many United and AirCanada flights were delayed, some were canceled, and at least one Spirit Airlines flight was also canceled altogether.
DIA officials told Denver7 that deicing is handled by each airline and their contractors, and not by the airport itself.
Denver7 obtained a statement from United Airline officials which stated, in part, “Our team is working closely with our vendor to get the aircraft deiced and get our customers to their destinations. We apologize for any extra delays.”
Delta, Frontier and Southwest Airlines reported no problems in their deicing procedures.
Flights were operating normally at DIA Friday morning.
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Women submitted 150K more votes than men in Colorado; 41-60 age group had highest turnout
DENVER – Women outvoted men in Colorado and outpaced their population percentage in the Centennial State during the 2016 General Election, according to voting demographics released by the Colorado Secretary of State Thursday.
Thursday’s release of ballot counts and demographic breakdowns will be the final daily count released until voting numbers are finalized and released by the office Dec. 8.
County clerks are still counting ballots sent in by military and overseas voters, as well as those that had to be cured because voters forgot to sign their ballot or needed to have their signature verified.
Clerks offices have until Nov. 22 to finish counting provisional ballots and will have to turn their official results into the Secretary of State’s Office by Nov. 25.
As of Thursday’s release, 2,880,888 ballots have been counted in Colorado. When compared to the latest number of registered active and non-active voters, that number represents 75 percent turnout in Colorado.
That number is not likely to change much, as the number of ballots counted each day has dwindled this week.
Perhaps the most outstanding portion of data in the demographic breakdown shows the vast difference in the number of woman versus the number of men who voted in Colorado.
Women cast 1,495,813 ballots so far in the state, while men cast 1,349,045 ballots. That is a difference of 146,768. There are currently 36,030 ballots submitted by people who didn’t indicate their gender when registering, which represent just 1.25 percent of total votes so far.
According to 2015 U.S. Census data, women made up 49.7 percent of Coloradans, while men made up the remaining 50.3 percent.
But in this election, 51.9 percent of voters were women while just 46.8 percent were men.
Voters aged 41-60 had the highest turnout percentage by far. That age group submitted 35.8 percent of ballots. Coming in second were people aged 26-40, who sent in 25.3 percent of ballots.
Voters aged 61-70 submitted 16.7 percent of ballots; voters aged 71+ represent 11.8 percent of votes; and voters aged 18-25 sent in the smallest share of ballots: just 10.4 percent.
Women aged 41-60 had the highest overall turnout, submitting a total of 531,763 ballots so far.
Another outstanding data point is the vast difference in the number of registered Democrats who are women. A total of 558,967 female Democrats voted, compared to just 372,247 male Dems. That is a difference of 186,720 votes.
But the number of registered Republican and independent women who submitted ballots was in the mid-400,000s and within 20,000 of the number of men who voted registered to either party, or lack thereof.
Current voting percentages currently sit as follows, calculated by the number of submissions by people registered to each party: Republicans 33.4 percent; Democrats 32.7 percent; unaffiliated voters 32.1 percent; Libertarians 1.1 percent.
Colorado’s official election results page does not quite reflect the latest count; it is approximately 70,000 votes short. But those results show Hillary Clinton winning Colorado 48.1 percent to Donald Trump’s 43.3 percent.
Denver7 will update ballot totals and voting turnout once they are finalized. Stay posted to the Denver7 politics page for the latest updates from the political world.
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Groups seek changes to Facebook and Google after scourge of fake news during election
DENVER – “I think Trump is in the White House because of me. His followers don’t fact-check anything — they’ll post everything, believe anything.”
That’s what Paul Horner, who The Washington Post calls the “impresario of a Facebook fake-news empire,” told The Post about how he inundated Facebook and the rest of the internet with fake news in the lead-up to the General Election.
The Post spoke with Horner in a story published Thursday about how fake news was propagated across the internet via Facebook, Google and other social media sites, and made its way into the daily reading of both conservatives and liberals alike.
FAKE NEWS SPREAD BY MAJOR CAMPAIGN FIGURES
BuzzFeed News found that fake news stories generated more overall engagement than real news in the final months leading up to Election Day – outpacing the New York Times, Washington Post and ABC News, among many others.
Their analysis found the top-20 fake election stories generated around 8.7 million total reactions, shares and comments during that time, compared to 7.3 million in total engagement for the top-20 stories from major news outlets.
It’s likely you’ve seen, read or shared some of the fake news yourself.
A fake story by fake news outlet the “Denver Guardian” saying an FBI agent involved in the Clinton email scandal was found dead got more than 500,000 comments, reactions and shares, though it was quickly outed as a fake by most Denver news outlets.
The most-shared fake news story came from another fake outlet, “ETF News,” which stated that Pope Francis had “shocked the world” by endorsing Donald Trump for president.
Horner is behind one of the highest-trafficked fake news sites, abcnews.com.co, which many mistook as American news outlet ABC News.
Some of Trump’s closest advisors and family — Kellyanne Conway, Eric Trump and Corey Lewandowski – all tweeted or retweeted an article from his fake site about a “Trump protester” who said he was “paid $3,500 to protest Trump’s rally.”
Thousands of people shared the story, and it is still cited by many people as proof that anti-Trump protesters who have taken to the streets both before and after the election are being paid by liberal groups or the Clinton campaign.
“His campaign manager posted my story about a protester getting paid $3,500 as fact,” Horner told The Post. “Like, I made that up. I posted a fake ad on Craigslist.”
One person who shared the story saw it receive hundreds of shares and reactions, even though Snopes had de-bunked the story as fake several days earlier.
FACEBOOK, GOOGLE ADDRESS FAKE NEWS SITES
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg originally said that the idea that fake news being spread on his platform influenced the election was “a pretty crazy idea” two days after the election.
But days later, he published a long post saying that “more than 99% of what people see is authentic” on Facebook, but that the company had “already launched work enabling our community to flag hoaxes and fake news, and there is more we can do here.”
Some have pointed to the spread of fake news happening after Facebook got rid of the people who controlled its news algorithm over complaints they were censoring conservative content. The company switched to a mostly-automated system that at times put fake news at the top of its “trending news” category.
Google said it was suspending its paid web advertising service, AdSense, for fake news sites after BuzzFeed uncovered a slew of Macedonians creating fake news sites for profit.
“This whole Google AdSense thing is pretty scary. And all this Facebook stuff,” Horner said. “Right now I make like $10,000 a month from AdSense.”
And while many have blamed Facebook, Google and other social media sites for aiding in the spread of such fake stories, Horner blames people themselves.
“Honestly, people are definitely dumber,” he told The Post. “They just keep passing stuff around. Nobody fact-checks things anymore.”
Horner said he started making fake news sites to further his career in parody; he said he aims to be like The Onion when writing the stories. He says he operates at least 10 fakes news sites, but didn’t tell The Post all of them.
But his fake ABC News site has some of the most-shared fake news of the past several months: “Obama Signs Executive Order Declaring Investigation Into Election Results; Revote Planned”; “Obama Signs Executive Order Banning The National Anthem At All Sporting Events”; “DRUGS IN COLORADO: New Deadly Strain Of Marijuana Turning Users Gay”; “Donald Trump Tweets Image Of His Penis – WARNING: Graphic Content” are among a few on the front page of the site.
On Thursday, Poynter published an open letter from an organization of fact-checkers calling on Zuckerberg and Facebook to “start an open conversation on the principles that could underpin a more accurate news ecosystem on its News Feed.”
“Facebook should strengthen users’ ability to identify fake posts and false news by themselves, as the scale of the problem is too vast for a purely top-down approach,” the letter continued.
President Barack Obama criticized the spread of fake news while in Germany Thursday, calling such reports a “threat to democracy,” according to the New York Times.
The ball now appears to be in Facebook and Google’s court. As arguably the two-largest information sharing networks in the world, it will be up to them to determine what changes are necessary and implemented.
Until then, it will take a concerted effort on behalf of news media and consumers alike to out any fake news as false.
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