13 gang members indicted for homicides, shootings, car thefts by grand jury

A Denver grand jury last week indicted 13 men and women aged 18 to 23 who were members of a criminal street gang for alleged crimes involving 113 victims.

Prosecutors with the Denver District Attorney’s Office have opened court cases against each, city officials said in a Tuesday news release announcing these organized crime indictments on 255 felony counts.

The group is accused of violating Colorado’s Organized Crime Control Act and being responsible for 18 shootings. Among those were drive-by shootings that put innocent people at risk, prosecutors say.

One shooting led to the homicide of Jesus Duran-maldonado in Commerce City on Feb. 26, 2022. Another homicide victim was Christian Chirinos-salazar in Denver on May 28. In addition to charges in the two homicides, the defendants face charges on multiple counts including attempted homicide, aggravated motor vehicle theft, assault, menacing, and robbery.

An anti- violence team of metro Denver police agencies, RAVEN task force, that targets organized violent crime, including the federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, investigated the crimes.

“We believe these individuals shared a common goal of committing violence primarily against their rival gang members to gain notoriety, credibility, and perceived dominance over both their neighborhood,” a statement from Denver District Attorney Beth Mccann said.

Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas issued a statement saying that “removing these alleged violent offenders from our streets again demonstrates our ongoing commitment to holding accountable the most serious offenders causing harm in our neighborhoods.”

The 13 defendants facing prosecution are Ali Fernando Lozano, 23; Anastasia Marie Gomez, 19; Angel Adrian Espinoza, 20; Brandon Mark Santana, 18; Emiliano German Nunez, 20; Gilberto Ulisses Torres-pacheco, 18; Gloria Reyes, 18; Ismael Gabriel Roque, 20; Isser Daniel Mejia-michael, 20; Jessie Anthony Vargas-vigil, 21; Nevaeh Jordyn Alvarado, 20; Ricardo Corchado, 19; and Yacob Fonseca, 20.

Police agencies are still investigating and officials declined to release additional information.