December 8, 2005

Contact: Lynn Kimbrough, 720-913-9025 

’98 “COLD CASE” SOLVED, CHARGES FILED

Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey formally charged a man today in connection the brutal rape of a teenager that occurred in 1998.

Federico Enrique Candelaria (dob: 05-05-80) is charged with first-degree sexual assault (F3), second-degree burglary (F3) and a mandatory crime of violence count (SE).

Candelaria is currently in the Colorado Department of Corrections serving a 5-year sentence for assault and an 18-month sentence for vandalism.  His incarceration required him to submit a DNA sample that was entered into the database known as CODIS. 

The new charges allege that in February 1998 he broke into a northwest-Denver home and sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl who was sleeping in her bedroom.  At the time, a suspect was not identified. 

This unsolved case came up for review as part of Denver’s DNA Cold Case Project.  DNA evidence that had been retained in the case was analyzed with current, state-of-the-art technology in Denver’s crime lab and the results were submitted to CODIS. 

In November 2005 the Denver Police Crime Lab received word that the DNA matched an inmate in the Department of Corrections.  Further investigation revealed that Candelaria had been acquainted with the victim’s family and lived nearby at the time.  He was 17 at the time but has been charged as an adult in connection with the attack.

Candelaria, who is currently in the Fremont Correctional Facility, is scheduled to be advised of the charges on January 6, 2006 in Denver District Courtroom 12 at 8:30 a.m.

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