Korey Anderson Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Marijuana Dispensary Robberies and Burglaries

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that Korey Anderson was sentenced today to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of burglary, one count of aggravated robbery and one count of violating the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act (COCCA).

Anderson and 13 other defendants were charged in connection with a string of five armed robberies, 40 burglaries and 12 attempted burglaries, most of them marijuana dispensaries, which occurred throughout the Denver metro area during the summer and fall of 2023.

All of the defendants’ cases have now been resolved.  In addition to Anderson, the defendants included Genero Zuniga (who was sentenced to 30 years in prison), Josiah Hicks (20 years in prison), Hunter Walthall (20 years in prison), Markis Cordova (17 years in prison) and Sicari McClain (10 years in prison).

The successful prosecution of the cases was the result of lengthy, multi-agency investigations conducted by the Denver District Attorney’s Office, Denver Police Department, and the FBI’s Violent Criminal Enterprise Task Force (V.C.E.T.F.).

“This sentence ensures that Korey Anderson is held accountable for his crimes and is off the streets of Denver for a significant amount of time.  This case, and those of Anderson’s co-defendants, demonstrates that law enforcement agencies throughout the Denver metro area are committed to working together to disrupt and disband dangerous criminal organizations.  I want to thank the prosecutors, investigators and victim advocates in my office, as well as the Denver Police Department, and the FBI.  The streets of Denver are safer today because of their outstanding work,” said DA Walsh.

“The tremendous work and outcomes in these cases provide more examples of how these partnering agencies – and the individuals who contributed to the success – remain steadfastly committed to holding accountable those doing harm in our communities,” said Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas. “Let these lengthy sentences serve as a warning to anyone involved in criminal enterprises that they too could spend decades in prison for their actions.”

“Today’s sentencing marks a major victory for public safety, ending a months-long investigation into the Bloods street gang responsible for dozens of violent crimes,” said Mark Michalek, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Denver Field Office. “Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the FBI’s Violent Criminal Enterprise Task Force and the Denver District Attorney’s Office, 14 gang members and associates have been taken off the streets and held accountable for more than 326 felony offenses.  I want to thank the Aurora Police Department and the VCETF investigators from the Denver Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI for their critical roles in this investigation,” This outcome demonstrates that when meticulous investigative work is combined with the exceptional legal expertise of the Denver District Attorney’s Office, we are an unstoppable force in the pursuit of justice.”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Chad Harple, Associate Deputy District Attorney Justin Friedberg and Associate Deputy District Attorney Thomas Walton prosecuted the cases for the Denver DA’s Office.

About the Denver DA’s Office:

The mission of the Denver DA’s Office is to protect the community, to seek equal justice for all, and to improve the quality and fairness of criminal justice on behalf of the people of Colorado.   We achieve that mission through excellence in our work investigating and prosecuting crime, supporting victims and their families, working with the community to prevent crime, and providing fair alternatives to incarceration in appropriate cases.

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