DENVER — District Attorney John Walsh today announced that, at the joint request of the Denver DA’s Office and the Korey Wise Innocence Project, Judge Andrew Luxen has vacated the murder conviction of Stephen Martinez and dismissed the charges against him. In January of 2000, a jury convicted Martinez of “First-Degree Murder – Knowingly Causing…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that Ricky Roybal-Smith pleaded guilty today to Second-Degree Murder and was sentenced to 48 years in prison. Roybal-Smith also pleaded guilty to Driving Under the Influence and was sentenced to eight years in prison.  The two sentences will run consecutively for a total of 56 years…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh announced that Gabriel Peterson has been sentenced to 16 years in prison after previously pleading guilty to one count of Human Trafficking of a Minor. In July of 2024, Peterson recruited a 15-year-old girl to perform commercial sex acts in the Denver metro area. Peterson controlled whom the…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that a jury today convicted Ricky Dawson of First-Degree Murder.  Dawson faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole when he’s sentenced on April 29. On October 5, 1996, Dawson sexually assaulted and murdered 35-year-old Terri Turachak in Turachak’s east Denver…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that Demonie Young-Anderson was sentenced to 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to violating the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act (COCCA).  Young-Anderson’s three co-defendants — Jeurray Ivory, Terry White and Anthony Matherson — had previously been sentenced after pleading guilty to the same charge.  Ivory…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that Antonio Vasquez was sentenced today to 40 years in prison, while Vasquez’ brother, Jason Trujillo, Jr., was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Vasquez and Trujillo both previously pleaded guilty to Second-Degree Murder. On February 14, 2024, Vasquez shot and killed 19-year-old Dacien Salazar during…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that Ernest Cunningham has been sentenced to 42 years in prison.  On December 22 of last year, a jury convicted Cunningham of Second-Degree Murder. On June 29, 2024, Cunningham shot and killed 23-year-old Kelsey Roberts at her home in southeast Denver. Cunningham was intending to confront…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that former Colorado State Senator Sonya Jaquez Lewis has been sentenced to two years of probation and 150 hours of community service.  She was also fined $3000.  If she completes an additional 100 hours of public service, the fine will be waived. On January 28 of…

NEWS RELEASE January 23, 2026 DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that Jay Bianchi was sentenced today to a year in jail followed by 10 years to life in prison. On November 14, 2025, a jury convicted Bianchi of three counts of Sexual Assault and two counts of Unlawful Sexual Contact. The…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that Trevondus Estes was sentenced today to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty on January 12 to one count of kidnapping and one count of attempted sexual assault. Estes had been charged with robbing and sexually assaulting several women who were working in massage businesses…