***ONGOING DUI TRAINING*** We’re proud to support our law enforcement partners and their efforts to keep impaired drivers off our roads. This week, Corporal Bankston and Officer Widener with the Greenwood Village Police Department presented a DUI Investigations training session with our County Court Team. Training and collaboration between law enforcement and prosecutors help strengthen investigations and ensure these cases are handled effectively from the road to the courtroom. #Justice #LawEnforcement #GreenwoodVillage #ArapahoeCounty @GreenwoodGov

Come chat about crime trends, prevention and resources at this public safety town hall on Oct. 8 with Commissioner @SenRhondaFields! You’ll hear from Sheriff Tyler Brown from @ArapahoeSO, District Attorney Amy Padden of the @DA18th and @AuroraPD Chief Todd Chamberlain.

***CASE UPDATE*** The 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office will file motions to dismiss all charges against four people arrested during a July 2026 protest outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Centennial. More information about this decision can be found here: arapahoeco.gov/news_detail_T…

It was great to spend time with about 35 community members at the Older Adult Safety Symposium at the Malley Recreation Center last week! District Attorney Amy Padden and @PoliceEnglewood Chief David Jackson joined attendees for a conversation about local #fraud and #scams, including ways older adults can protect themselves and recognize common warning signs.

Looking for something fun, unique, and FREE to do with the whole family this weekend? Join us for the Sheriff & Coroner's Open House & Free Pancake Breakfast! You’ll get to: 🐕 Watch our K9s in action 🚓 Explore inside a SWAT vehicle 🚒 See firefighters use the Jaws of Life to rescue crash victims 🎨 Try your hand at “maggot art” — yes, really! Kids can dip LIVE maggots in paint and let them crawl across paper to create one-of-a-kind artwork! 🪱 And there’s plenty for the grown-ups, too! Tour our 911 dispatch center, get an exclusive look inside the Coroner’s Office, and learn about the history of the Sheriff’s Office. Oh, and did we mention FREE pancakes and sausage? 🥞 It’s ALL FREE — including parking! 📅 Saturday, September 26 ⏰ 8:00 A.M.–Noon 📍 Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office 13101 E. Broncos Parkway, Centennial Bring the family, bring your friends, and SHARE this post so they can join the fun! 👉 Learn more: arapahoeco.gov/SOopenhouse #OpenHouse #FreePancakes #FamilyFun #CommunityEvent @ArapahoeCounty @ArapahoeRescue @CentennialGov @TownofBennett @SouthMetroPIO @DA18th

News Release: Aurora Police Internet Luring Operation Nets 13 Arrests for Child Sex Crimes. The Aurora Police Department Special Victims Section recently led a multi-agency internet luring and human trafficking operation targeting child sexual offenders, which ended with 13 arrests. The operation, named Stopping Adults From Exploiting (SAFE) Kids, was motivated in part by the passage of Colorado Senate Bill 26-15, which elevated internet luring of a child for commercial sexual activity to a Class 3 felony from a Class 5 felony. The new law also established mandatory minimum prison sentences of 4-12 years in alignment with similar offenses, such as pimping, procuring and pandering a child. Among the 13 suspects arrested, two were already registered sex offenders, seven brought sexual devices, one brought ketamine, another brought vodka and one brought a firearm. The average age of the suspects was 39 years old, with the oldest being 65 and the youngest 21. “In today’s online world, offenders who seek to sexually exploit children can do so behind closed doors and out of public view, which is why proactive police work is so important in exposing these crimes,” said Lt. Seth Robertson, who oversees the Aurora Police Department’s Special Victims Section. “The people we encountered during this operation knew exactly what they were doing; some arrived with sexual devices, drugs or alcohol they intended to provide to or use with someone they believed to be a minor. “Without proactive investigations like this, much of this criminal activity would remain hidden from the public and, more importantly, these individuals could have gone on to victimize a child.” Planning for Operation SAFE Kids began in May when detectives identified websites where child internet luring and human trafficking activity is taking place. When the operation began in mid-August, detectives used undercover, minor-aged personas to engage with suspects online. Among those 13 arrested suspects, four initially stopped chatting with the undercover personas online once they learned they were underage, only to later re-engage in conversations on their own. “Several suspects traveled from communities across the Denver metro area and many arrived with the exact amount of cash discussed for sexual services, despite being told they were communicating with someone underage,” said Investigations Bureau Cmdr. Marc Paolino. “Their actions, including the time and effort they took to arrange and pursue these encounters, demonstrate the seriousness of their intent.” The 13 suspects arrested during Operation SAFE Kids include: ➡️ Jeffrey Lutsk, 65, of Aurora, was arrested July 17 on felony charges of internet luring of a child, internet sexual exploitation of a child and attempted sexual assault of a child. He is in custody on $50,000 bond at the Arapahoe County Jail. ➡️ Frank Herman, 21, of Arvada, was arrested Aug. 20 on felony charges of attempted sexual assault of a child, internet luring of a child, sexual exploitation of children, patronizing a prostituted child and solicitation of child prostitution. He is free on $25,000 bond. ➡️ Kristopher Dominguez, 29, of Denver, was arrested Aug. 20 on felony charges of attempted sexual assault of a child, internet luring of a child, sexual exploitation of children, patronizing a prostituted child and solicitation of child prostitution. He is free on $50,000 bond. ➡️ Thomas Wohlman, 58, of Denver, was arrested Aug. 27 on felony charges of habitual sexual offender of a child, attempted engaging in commercial sexual activity with a child and solicitation of child prostitution. He is free on $75,000 bond. ➡️ Jonathan Kranich, 41, of Centennial, was arrested Aug. 27 on felony charges of attempted sexual assault of a child, internet luring of a child, patronizing a prostituted child and soliciting for commercial sexual activity with a child. He is free on $75,000 bond. ➡️ Jesus Cedillo, 45, of Aurora, was arrested Aug. 27 on felony charges of soliciting for commercial sexual activity with a child, patronizing a prostituted child and attempted engaging in commercial sexual activity with a child. He is in custody on $25,000 bond at the Arapahoe County Jail. ➡️ Samuel Wahlgren, 32, of Denver, was arrested Aug. 27 on felony charges of attempted engaging in commercial sexual activity with a child, patronizing a prostituted child and solicitation of child prostitution. He is free on $30,000 bond. ➡️ Danny Davis, 62, was arrested Aug. 28 on felony charges of internet luring of a child, soliciting for commercial sexual activity with a child and attempted engaging in commercial sexual activity with a child. He is free on $25,000 bond. ➡️ Devar Lewis, 27, of Aurora, was arrested Aug. 28 on felony charges of internet luring of a child, patronizing a prostituted child and attempted solicitation for commercial sexual activity with a child. He is in custody on $50,000 bond in the Arapahoe County Jail. ➡️ Joshua Tarver, 36, was arrested Aug. 28 on felony charges of patronizing a prostituted child and attempted solicitation for commercial sexual activity with a child. He is free on $25,000 bond. ➡️ Hikmat Hikmat, 23, of Castle Pines, was arrested Aug. 28 on felony charges of attempted sexual assault of a child, patronizing a prostituted child and solicitation for commercial sexual activity with a child. He is free on $25,000 bond. ➡️ Robert Titus, 37, of Aurora, was arrested Aug. 29 on felony charges of internet luring of a child, attempted sexual assault of a child and internet sexual exploitation of a child. He is in custody on $75,000 bond at the Arapahoe County Jail. ➡️ Fermin Rivera-Garcia, 33, was arrested Aug. 29 on felony charges of solicitation for commercial sexual activity with a child and patronizing a prostituted child. He is free on $25,000 bond. Operation SAFE Kids was a multi-agency effort featuring resources from the Aurora Police Department’s Special Victims Section, which is composed of the Sex Crimes, Special Victims, Crimes Against Children, Internet Crimes Against Children, Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking units. Several local, state and federal partner agencies also participated in the operation, including the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, FBI and Homeland Security Investigations. The investigations are active and ongoing, and detectives are interested in speaking with anyone who might have information about additional criminal activity involving the 13 suspects. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720.913.STOP (7867). Tipsters can remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.

🚨***DEVELOPING***🚨 Our office is pursuing criminal charges against an inmate and a defense attorney. Their arrests follow an investigation into the alleged introduction and distribution of methamphetamine and other contraband at the Arapahoe County Detention Facility. Additional information will be released when available and appropriate. Our media statement can be found here: arapahoeco.gov/news_detail_T… @ArapahoeSO @ArapahoeCounty

🚨***MEDIA RELEASE***🚨 A Denver man who carjacked a victim at gunpoint, led authorities on a high-speed pursuit and fired multiple shots at officers pleaded guilty in court this morning to Aggravated Robbery and two counts of Attempted First-Degree Murder. Daniel Reynaldo Tolentino, 44, will be sentenced in November and faces 50 to 80 years in #prison. Case details can be found ⬇️ arapahoeco.gov/news_detail_T… @dcsheriff @LittletonPD @ArapahoeSO

Join District 3 Commissioner Jeff Baker and guest Sheriff Tyler Brown from @ArapahoeSO for a community conversation on Oct. 1 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Kelver Library in Byers. It will include a convo about noise complaint enforcement and other law enforcement activities.

***UPCOMING EVENT*** Join us at Malley Rec Center on Friday, September 18th (tomorrow) for the Older Adult Safety Symposium! It's free to attend, but registration is required for lunch. For more information and to register, visit: shorturl.at/0BllP

📌***UPCOMING EVENT*** Have an active warrant in Arapahoe County? This could be your chance for a fresh start! The Arapahoe District Court is hosting Warrant Forgiveness Day, giving eligible individuals an opportunity to clear an active warrant with no arrests being made. 📅 October 17, 2026 (Thursday) 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112 The event is open to individuals with eligible active warrants or probation-violation warrants in Arapahoe County involving certain felony, drug felony, misdemeanor or traffic offenses. Defense attorneys will be present to help participants: • Resolve their case or set a new court date • Get back on track with completing probation • Connect with community resources *Some cases are not eligible, including Victim Rights Act cases, assault, domestic violence, unlawful sexual contact and child abuse cases. Questions? Call the Public Defender’s Office at (303) 799-9001. @AuroraPD @AuroraGov @CityofLittleton @LittletonPD @PoliceEnglewood @ArapahoeSO @ArapahoeCounty @CitySheridanco @SheridanPolice @GreenwoodGov @CBSNewsColorado @DenverChannel @9NEWS @KDVR @SentinelColo @DenverGazette @ColoradoNewsCCM @CSP_News @ColoradoSun @denverpost

***MEDIA RELEASE*** After a 90-year-old Centennial man was scammed out of $40,000 by a 33-year-old woman, the 18th Judicial District Office was able to secure a guilty plea and make the victim whole. As part of her #guilty plea, the victim received ALL of his money back, PLUS interest. This case is also an important reminder about romance scams. Scammers may build trust and an emotional connection before asking for money, often citing a medical emergency, unexpected expense or other urgent situation. If someone you recently met asks for a large amount of money, slow down and talk to someone you trust before sending funds. If you or someone you know may have been the victim of fraud, don't be embarrassed to ask for help. Contact your local law enforcement agency and your financial institution as soon as possible. Great work by our partners at the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office for investigating this case and standing up for victims! Additional case information can be found here: arapahoeco.gov/news_detail_T… @ArapahoeSO

We're looking forward to this ⬇️ important community conversation with our partners at @AuroraPD and @ArapahoeSO.

Today, Arapahoe County Judge Eric White sentenced Nelson Francisco Miranda-Rivas, 29, to LIFE in prison PLUS 224 years for a February 2023 crime spree in Aurora that included homicide, robbery and multiple other felony charges. Our news release issued last week following his guilty #conviction can be found here: arapahoeco.gov/news_detail_T… #Justice #Aurora #Colorado

Aurora Investigators Identify Six Juveniles Connected to Vandalism, Assaults During August Takeover Event (Sept. 14, 2026) -- Today, Chief Todd Chamberlain and investigators with the Aurora Police Department announced charges have been brought forward connected to a mass gathering that resulted in two local businesses being vandalized and one injury resulting from a physical altercation. “Today’s updates are a follow up to a promise I made to the community in the days after this gathering,” said Chief Todd Chamberlain. “I promised that we would investigate and that we would hold people responsible. We made good on that promise, and we reiterate our commitment today -- if you commit a crime in a crowd, you should expect us to use every tool that we have available to work to identify you and hold you accountable.” Just after 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 30, 2026, the Aurora Police Department responded to a large gathering of young people, primarily between the ages of 13 and 17, at a local shopping center located near 6th Avenue and Peoria Street. The gathering, which was estimated to be between 500 and 1,000 people, appeared to have been organized through social media around an unpermitted event. What may have started as a social gathering quickly became a significant public safety issue as the crowd grew. Participants entered nearby roadways and smaller groups broke away and entered surrounding businesses. Officers responded initially to maintain safety and address the growing crowd. As officers attempted to manage the gathering, groups entered nearby businesses, including a restaurant and a grocery store. While some simply ran through the businesses, others vandalized property and stole merchandise. As the behavior escalated, the Aurora Police Department declared the gathering an unlawful assembly and ordered the crowd to disperse. More than 70 Aurora police personnel ultimately responded to the incident and remained in the area for several hours to restore order and protect the surrounding community and businesses. The size of the response required the department to redirect a significant number of on-duty resources that otherwise would have been available to respond to calls for service throughout Aurora. Following the incident, investigators were assigned to follow up on the case and to identify individuals who vandalized two local businesses, causing several thousand dollars in damage. They also learned of several fights that had subsequently taken place that required further investigation as well. An estimated 180 hours was dedicated to the investigation, resulting in the identification of six juveniles between the ages of 13 and 17, all from the Denver metro area. The charges presented to the District Attorney’s Office for each are as follows: -- Juvenile 1, 15 years old: APD Case 2026-180508 Aurora Municipal Code 94-73: Injury to property -- Juvenile 2, 13 years old: APD Case 2026-180508 Aurora Municipal Code 94-73(a)(2): Theft -- Juvenile 3, 17 years old: APD Case 2026-180526 3rd degree assault Reckless endangerment Disorderly conduct -- Juvenile 4, 16 years old: APD Case 2026-180526 3rd degree assault Reckless endangerment Disorderly conduct -- Juvenile 5, 16 years old: APD Case 2026-180526 3rd degree assault Reckless endangerment Disorderly conduct -- Juvenile 6, 14 years old: APD Case 2026-180526 3rd degree assault Reckless endangerment Disorderly conduct “We will not tolerate groups victimizing our community members, disrupting or damaging businesses – which are also often owned or operated by our residents -- or believing that anonymity from a crowd can allow you to escape consequence when you commit a crime,” Chief Chamberlain added. “This investigation shows that we will always work to hold anyone who would do harm to others in our community accountable.”

Arapahoe County and @DA18th Judicial has lost a giant in the pursuit of justice. I knew John Hower for more than 20+ years. My family experienced his dedication through his work seeking justice for Javad and Vivian—work that stood through years of legal challenges. For that, we are forever grateful. John’s commitment to truth, facts, and justice made a lasting difference. He will be remembered and never forgotten. Rest in peace, John. 🙏🏾

On behalf of the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, we take a moment to remember the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. We also honor the first responders who ran toward danger and answered the call to serve. Their courage, sacrifice and commitment to protecting others remind us of the true meaning of public service. 🇺🇸

If you have any information that can help our partners at @ArapahoeSO solve this case, please call 303-795-4711. #ActiveInvestigation #ArapahoeCounty #Bennett

We enjoy getting out in the community and talking with various groups! This week, Criminal Investigator Rachel Silva spoke with CU Denver criminal justice students about her career path, mental health in the field, internship opportunities, law enforcement, victim advocacy and the challenges of the job. Want one of our staff to speak to your class? Email press@coda18.gov.

***MEDIA RELEASE*** Following a four-week trial, a jury found Nelson Francisco Miranda-Rivas, 29, guilty of murder, attempted murder, assault, robbery and multiple other felony charges stemming from a February 2023 crime spree. Miranda-Rivas was linked to three separate shootings that occurred in Aurora on the same day, including the fatal shooting at Pitchers Sports Bar. We'd like to thank our partners at @AuroraPD for their investigative work which helped us successfully prosecute this case. Sentencing is scheduled for later this month. Case information can be found ⬇️ arapahoeco.gov/news_detail_T… #justice #guilty #murderconviction #ArapahoeCounty #lawenforcement