DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that Angel “Taz” Espinoza pleaded guilty today to two counts of second-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and one count of violating the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act. Espinoza was the leader of the criminal street gang that identified itself as “2D$” (Too Damn Smooth,…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that Clemente Flores-Hernandez pleaded guilty today to second-degree murder and first-degree assault and was sentenced to 60 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. On February 24, 2023, Flores-Hernandez shot and killed 44 year-old Karol Bedoya at her home in northeast Denver. Ms. Bedoya and Flores-Hernandez…

Contact: Matt Jablow, Communications Director Matt.Jablow@denverda.org 720-913-9025 John Pastor-Mendoza Sentenced to 290 Years to Life DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that Judge Karen Brody today sentenced John Pastor-Mendoza to 290 years to life in the Department of Corrections.  On October 24, 2024, Pastor-Mendoza was convicted of 30 charges related to the…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that Donte Ellis was convicted today of first-degree murder in connection with the death of 43 year-old Shayna Johnson, a restorative practice coordinator at Denver’s Castro Elementary School.  Judge Eric Johnson then sentenced Ellis to life in prison without the possibility of parole. On August 2,…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that a Denver jury today convicted Lu Reh of first-degree murder and multiple counts of attempted murder. Reh and three other defendants were charged with shooting and killing 42 year-old Ma Kaing in July of 2022 in the 13-hundred block of Xenia Street in east Denver.…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh today announced that a jury has convicted 33 year-old Tashon Roberts of all four counts that he was facing related to the manufacture, possession and distribution of fentanyl.  In addition, Roberts was convicted of three counts of Child Abuse – Exposure to the Manufacturing of a Controlled Substance…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh today announced that Jesus Jurado-Lugo has pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of second-degree assault. Jurado-Lugo has admitted to shooting and killing 26 year-old Lydia Coronado in southwest Denver on July 16, 2017. Jurado-Lugo shot and injured another person during the incident.  Jurado-Lugo…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that Ricardo Vasquez pleaded guilty today to one count of attempted murder and one count of intent to distribute a controlled substance. On June 13, 2023, Vasquez fired multiple shots into a large crowd of people who were celebrating the Denver Nuggets championship victory at 20th…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh today announced that Jaime Chavez-Calix has been charged with Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death, a Class 1 felony. It is alleged that, on November 16, 2024, Chavez-Calix sold fentanyl to 30 year-old Manuella Contrera Caravio, who was found deceased the next day in the backseat of a…

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh today announced that Elijah Caudill has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the stabbing deaths of 71 year-old Celinda Levno and 34 year-old Nicholas Burkett last weekend in downtown Denver. Caudill has also been charged with two counts of attempted murder and two…