Hammer time for Colorado Democratic Party headquarters

At his latest healthcare town hall this past weekend, Congressman Jared Polis said attendees were patriotic because they were expressing their opinions, whatever they might be. But he probably would have changed his tune had they been wielding implements of destruction — or, in this case, construction. According to the…

Comic books like these great for meth-profits laundering

One of the more unusual aspects of the enormous meth ring authorities announced they busted yesterday was the alleged conspirators’ chosen instrument for cleaning their dirty money: classic comic books. Investigators seized approximately 100 boxes of comics, including first-edition Batmans and Supermans in plastic sheaths to protect their value. As…

Seriously — these guys dealt meth?

Take a look at Aaron and Alfonzo Castro and then guess their profession. Kindergarten teachers? Florists? Hallmark Card authors? Not according to Colorado Attorney General John Suthers, the North Metro Task Force and other law-enforcement types. No, they say the Castros, and 39 others, were part of a meth ring…

Shmuck of the Week: Shawn Merriman, aka the Mormon Madoff

An early front-runner for Shmuck of the Year, Shawn Merriman this week was officially charged for his orchestration of a massive Ponzi scheme that made him rich, left friends and investors broke, and had Bernie Madoff saying to his prison boyfriend, “Hey, this guy stole my moves!”…

Here’s something those new CU cops can do with their time

With students returning to the University of Colorado at Boulder campus for the fall semester, the Boulder Police Department is stepping up DUI patrols — and the CU cops will be out in greater force, too. The university department has added six more officers as part of an overall plan…

Somebody stop that cleverly named bandit!

It’s been a big week for local robbers with snazzy names. On Tuesday, the FBI announced it was looking for a scofflaw they’d named the $83 Bandit, since the bank notes he’s used to rob eight Denver area banks since March often included odd numbers that have the numeral 3…

First on returning CU students’ agenda: Getting smashed?

Today, students start returning to the University of Colorado at Boulder for the fall semester, and school officials and local cops plan to greet them somewhat differently. CU’s got a range of activities on the schedule, including an “Ice and Dice” party — think indoor ice skating and a poker…

Josh Penry would like to grill barbecue thieves

Josh Penry may be quickly becoming the leading Republican candidate for governor, thanks to the rapid implosion of Scott McInnis’ campaign and the difficulties Ryan Frazier is having in regard to gaining traction — but not everything’s going his way. Yesterday morning on his Twitter feed, he wrote, “What kind…

Joe Nacchio: See you in 2011

Yesterday’s decision by the U.S. Justice Department not to appeal a ruling that former Qwest chief executive Joe Nacchio’s six-year jail term and accompanying $52 million fine were excessive could well mean a couple of years, and perhaps even more, will be shaved off his sentence when Judge Marcia Krieger…

Denver Police Department just discovers it’s on Twitter

Members of the local media are seldom effusive about the timeliness and responsiveness of the Denver Police Department’s public-information office — and a release issued today exemplifies its effectiveness. or lack thereof. “The Denver Police Department would like the community to know they can now follow the DPD on Twitter,”…

Is a wanted man a burglar or just a lost friend-of-Bob?

Crime must not be rampant in Boulder right now — because the police department there has time to produce a composite sketch and send out a press release on an incident that won’t exactly make aging members of the Manson family wish they’d tried something similar. Yesterday afternoon, a man…

Update: Man risks death to save… a ’95 Nissan?

There are a lot of things for which most of us would put our lives on the line. Our country. Our loved ones. Giant canvas bags filled with unmarked bills. But a ’95 Nissan? Most of us would just bid that sucker farewell — but not Ryan Calles, 31. According…