District Attorney 8th Judicial District - Colorado

Members of our team wore orange today in honor of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month! 1 in 3 teens will experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from someone they're in a relationship with before adulthood. Loveisrespect works to spread awareness about this issue and invites people to wear orange and show their support! If you are looking for support locally: Crossroads Safehouse, Inc. , Alternatives to Violence, Inc , and the Ashley Doolittle Foundation are amazing resources for anyone in Larimer and Jackson Counties. ??

Recently, we have received questions about how new administrative orders regarding deportation and immigration may impact the work of our office. We want to be able to answer your questions as best we can. Join us as we discuss together over a good cup of coffee. Join us at Coffee Chats with District Attorney: Immigration ------ Recientemente, hemos recibido preguntas sobre cómo las nuevas órdenes administrativas en materia de deportación e inmigración pueden afectar al trabajo de nuestra oficina. Queremos responder a sus preguntas lo mejor que podamos. Acompá?enos mientras debatimos juntos con una buena taza de café. únase a nosotros en Coffee Chats with District Attorney: Immigration

On February 3rd, Colten Sirio was sentenced to 48 years in the Department of Corrections after a jury found him guilty of: -(3) First Degree Kidnapping (F2) -(3) Second Degree Kidnapping (F3) -Menacing (F5) -Reckless Endangerment (M2) -(2) Child Abuse (M2) The prosecution secured this conviction when, following all the evidence presented, Mr. Sirio was found guilty of all charges in December of 2024. The full details of Mr. Sirio’s crimes can be found below. The prosecution team argued for a 72-year sentence in the Department of Corrections by having each First and Second Degree Kidnapping count run consecutively. Ultimately, the Court sentenced the top three counts, First Degree Kidnapping, to be run consecutively for a total of 48 years. All other felony charges were sentenced to run concurrently. The Court?imposed no additional sentences on the misdemeanor convictions. “I am proud of how hard our team worked to take a dangerous offender off the streets,” said District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin. “Mr. Sirio put many lives at risk that day, and without a brave officer’s actions—it could have ended much differently. The collaborative efforts of our agencies in the CIRT process, help us to hold these individuals accountable and can let our community begin to move forward.” “These types of incidents have a lasting impact on the victims involved as well as the officers who respond,” said FCPS Assistant Chief Frank Barrett, who currently oversees the Criminal Investigations Division. “No officer wants to use their duty weapon, but they come to work every day knowing that it may be a reality to help protect the community and themselves. On that day in February 2024, the quick and heroic actions of the officers involved certainly saved lives, and today’s sentencing hopefully provides a sense of resolution to everyone involved.” “The dedication of 40 investigators from four agencies ensured a thorough and unbiased investigation, uncovering the truth and holding the offender accountable. Their dedication, combined with the commitment of the prosecutors in the District Attorney’s Office, led to a conviction that reinforces justice and preserves the safety of our communities. While no sentence can undo the harm caused, we hope this verdict provides the victims with a sense of justice and a path toward healing.” ################################################################### For the full version, including the previous release, visit: https://lnkd.in/g4v5PDgv

Michael Lee Hester was sentenced today to three years of supervised probation, 24 days in jail, 240 hours of community service, and ordered to pay the full amount of $27,691, after pleading guilty to three counts of aggravated animal cruelty, a class four felony, and three counts of agriculture animal theft, a class four felony. Mr. Hester pled open to these charges, meaning the Judge had the full range of sentencing options for each count. For each class four felony in Colorado, the penalty range is 2-6 years in the Department of Corrections, 3 years of mandatory parole, and a fine ranging from $2,000-$500,000. These can be run concurrently or consecutively based on the Judge’s discretion. The prosecution recommended that Mr. Hester should serve some period of incarceration given the seriousness of his actions and the request from the victims, as well as honoring the agreement for Mr. Hester to pay in full the significant amount of restitution. In April of 2024, deputies with the Larimer County Sheriff's Office responded to unincorporated Larimer County to a report of someone shooting cattle that were not his. In their initial search, deputies found three deceased cattle along with the Brand Inspector with the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Colorado is a free-range state. If a property owner does not want livestock on their property, it is their responsibility to build a fence to keep any unwanted livestock off their property. Several members of the community spoke on behalf of the prosecution and defense, highlighting the contention that existed in the community surrounding this case. Many of those who spoke were ranchers with deep ties to the Larimer County community. In handing down his sentence, Judge Stephen Jouard spoke of both the aggravating factors in this case as well as Mr. Hester’s remorse. “Mr. Hester made several poor choices and took the law into his hands,” said Judge Jouard. “But he has expressed extreme regret and appears to be genuinely remorseful. I must take each of those elements into consideration.” “Livestock plays a vital role in the lives of many residents in the 8th Judicial District,” said District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin.?“I am proud of the prosecution team for finding a resolution that holds Mr. Hester responsible for his crimes and ensures he will cover the cost of the damage he’s caused.”

Members of our team were able to tour the new youth shelter in Loveland, the Landing. It was so great to see all the hard work that went into creating this new community resource. A special thank you to The Matthews House for giving us a tour. Thank you for having us!

Recently, we have received questions about our role in the recent administrative orders regarding deportation. Our office's role and authority exist within the laws of the state of Colorado to prosecute state-level crimes. We do not prosecute or enforce any federal policy, including immigration laws. Every victim of a crime in our community is treated as a victim, full stop. Regardless of immigration status, gender identity, or any other attribute, we will continue to fight for every victim in every case. We recognize there is significant fear among certain communities right now because of changes to federal policy and have begun to hear reports of hate and harassment. We are dedicated to vigorously enforcing Colorado's bias-motivated crime laws and are committed to ensuring the safety, dignity, and expression of everyone in Larimer and Jackson Counties. To learn more about that statute, you can visit https://lnkd.in/gRus3nhX. We are still working to understand all the ramifications of the many new executive orders and policies and how they may impact our local community. As we gain more understanding of their impacts, we will be continually looking for ways to support the Larimer and Jackson County communities in the best way we can.

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Oscar Perez Jr. was sentenced today to 40.5 years in the Department of Corrections, after pleading guilty to one count of murder in the second degree, a class two felony, two counts of criminal attempt to commit murder in the second degree, a class three felony, and one count of menacing, a class five felony. ? Mr. Perez was transferred into the adult criminal justice system following a contested hearing in which the prosecution argued for the transfer. After the Court authorized the transfer to the adult system, Mr. Perez pled guilty on October 14th, 2024.? ? Transferring juveniles into the adult system is extremely rare in the 8th Judicial District and a decision we do not make lightly. However, for crimes this serious, the juvenile justice system is simply nowhere near sufficient to hold defendants appropriately accountable, recognize the value of life, and protect the community. On January 20th, 2023, Loveland Police responded to the Brookstone?Apartments and found Nasier Graham deceased from gunshot wounds. Nasier Graham was a well-respected member of the Loveland community and completely unknown to the defendant. Following the shooting of Graham, the defendant attempted to kill two other teenagers, seriously injuring one. Oscar Perez was 15 years old at the time. Additionally, today’s sentencing also encompasses a guilty plea for an attempted robbery from January 15th, 2023. ? To read the rest of the release, please visit: https://lnkd.in/gNgntHyb

Every four years, all appointed attorneys and investigators are sworn in by our Chief Justice as a reaffirmation of their dedication to the work of this office. This morning, we swore in 41 attorneys and 8 investigators. These dedicated public servants are sometimes not known for their incredible efforts but should be recognized for how much they care about the communities of Larimer and Jackson Counties.

Today Stephen Masalta was sentenced to three years in the Department of Corrections after serving one year in the Larimer County Jail for one count of Attempted Sexual Assault on a Child (F5) and two counts of Indecent Exposure (M2). Masalta entered a guilty plea in September 2024. As a part of his agreement, once released, Mr. Masalta will be required to register as a sex offender in the State of Colorado, have no contact with anyone under the age of 18, and not have unsupervised internet access. In March 2024, Fort Collins Police Services arrested Stephen Masalta following an investigation into a series of masturbation incidents at several local coffee shops. After his arrest, detectives began to review numerous digital devices belonging to the defendant and found videos of other criminal acts. For the full release, visit: https://lnkd.in/guGjYr7R