AURORA | Police on Thursday said they’ve made an additional arrest after a regional police task force arrested eight people they say are linked to a string of crimes, including burglaries, motor vehicle thefts, robberies and assaults, across the metro metro area.
One more of the 10 people identified as suspects remains at large, police said.
Police investigators with the Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network identified 10 people, seven adults and three minors, in connection with 89 felony and misdemeanor charges, according to a news release. Ballistic evidence also allegedly links the group to hundreds of shootings.
The crimes span Aurora, Arvada, Denver, Colorado Springs and Westminster, as well as Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, El Paso and Jefferson counties.
As of Friday, police have arrested nine people, including the three minors. Police say all 10 people face charges for allegedly violating the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, as well as other charges.
Keosha Johnson, 20, of Aurora turned herself in at the Arapahoe County jail Thursday, according to Aurora police spokesperson Joe Moylan. Johnson faces charges of conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit motor vehicle theft, evidence tampering and conspiracy to commit evidence tampering. She is being held in the jail in lieu of $20,000 bond.
At large still is Hezekiah Mason, 19, of Aurora. He is accused of conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit motor vehicle theft, possession of a weapon by a previous offender, evidence tampering, possession of a dangerous weapon and possession of a large-capacity magazine during a crime.
Potential charges announced by Aurora police last week include after arrests were made include:
- Deshelle Dockins, 48, of Aurora, faces a charge of unlawful discharge of a firearm.
- Tekoa McClain, 21, of Aurora, faces charges of attempted burglary and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery.
- Tayamond Thomas, 22, of Aurora, was arrested on charges of attempted unlawful discharge of a firearm, possession of a dangerous weapon, possession of a large-capacity magazine during a crime, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery and conspiracy to commit burglary.
- Kwame Hughes, 21, of Aurora, faces charges of attempted aggravated robbery, menacing, possession of a large-capacity magazine during a crime and conspiracy to commit robbery.
- Simon Botros, 19, of Aurora, faces charges of attempted burglary and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery.
- A 17-year-old male from Denver is facing charges of unlawful discharge of a firearm, possession of a dangerous weapon, possession of a large-capacity magazine during a crime, possession of a firearm by a juvenile, attempted burglary and conspiracy to commit robbery.
- A 17-year-old male from Aurora is facing charges of kidnapping, robbery, attempted burglary, conspiracy to commit robbery, possession of a dangerous weapon, possession of a large-capacity magazine during a crime and possession of a weapon by a juvenile.
- A 16-year-old male from Aurora faces charges of attempted burglary, conspiracy to commit robbery and evidence tampering.
Dockins, Hughes, McClain and Thomas were booked into the Arapahoe County Jail, while Botros was booked into the El Paso County Jail. All three minors were booked into juvenile detention centers.
All of the charges will be brought to Arapahoe County District Court.
According to the news release, investigators launched operations to make arrests beginning two weeks ago.
The Aurora Police Department’s SWAT Team, Police Area Representatives, Direct Action Response Team, Gang Unit and fugitive unit assisted with the investigation, as well as the Denver Police Department’s Metro SWAT Team and Special Operations Response Team.
“Violent criminals don’t operate within jurisdictional boundaries, and neither can we,” Deputy Chief Mark Hildebrand, who oversees the Aurora Police Department’s Investigations Division, said in the release. “RAVEN allows us to capitalize on the resources and expertise of law enforcement agencies across the Denver metro area and throughout the state to identify those responsible for violence in our communities and hold them accountable.”
RAVEN’s partner agencies include Denver, Arvada, Thornton and Lakewood police departments, the Arapahoe County, Adams County, Douglas County and Jefferson County sheriff’s offices and the Adams, Arapahoe, Denver and Douglas district attorney’s offices. Also involved are the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Colorado Department of Corrections, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and the Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Police are asking anyone with any information, including the locations of Mason and Johnson, to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Tips can be anonymous and eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
Why is it that the DA for the 18th Judicial District is never quoted when a pile of felonies is dropped in her lap like this?
Where’s the DA’s commitment to justice on these matters?
You might be interested to know that many of these subjects have been charged in the 18th JD before…clearly they were not jailed or held accountable for their previously violent crimes.
Unbelievable as the Sentinel has informed us, repeatedly, that persons of color are so paralyzed with fear of our police department that they are unable to leave their homes or go about their daily lives, more less commit crimes. How then did these individuals do so, and how is it that none of them were tortured and killed during apprehension which, according to numerous Sentinel articles is standard operating procedure for A.P.D.
Good job, RAVEN. Thank you for making our community safer.