A coalition of law enforcement groups seemingly hit a home run by busting an assistant baseball coach at Regis University, a retired Denver firefighter and 33 other people who were allegedly part of a gang-fueled cocaine trafficking organization.

U.S. Attorney John Walsh announced yesterday that law enforcement officers on Friday arrested 28 of the suspects without incident. The charges allege that the suspects — which also include people with ties to a Mexican drug cartel and local street gang members — were part of an organization that brought nearly 45 pounds of cocaine to the Denver area every week for local distribution

“I would characterize it as one of the most successful operations in recent years,” said Colorado U.S. Attorney John Walsh of the bust.

The cocaine trafficking bust originated with an investigation into the Denver Tre Deuce Gangster Crips. That investigation led to local wholesale cocaine dealers and suppliers with contacts to one of the more prominent Juarez drug cartels. According to the indictments, the cocaine was transported in secret panel in cars that came up I-25 from Mexico via El Paso.

During the investigation, agents and officers seized 53 kilograms of cocaine, 35 pounds of marijuana, more than $650,000 in cash, nine firearms and 15 vehicles. Agents and officers seized $500,000 of the cash from one defendant’s home and $122,000 from a car stop in Downtown Denver.

The Metro Gang Task Force — a wide coalition of more than 10 local law enforcement groups — was responsible for the bust. The group was praised yesterday as one of the most prolific and effective task forces in operation.

“This is not a good place to do business, they need to do their business elsewhere, because these guys will track them down and put them away.” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jim Davis of drug dealers.

While many of the defendants have ties to gangs or drug cartels, others like Ronald Rocha — an assistant baseball coach at Regis University who helps players with drills — or David Cordova — a retired firefighter — show the wide-ranging scope of the alleged trafficking group.

Jeremy Phillips, sports information director for Regis University, confirmed that Rocha is an assistant coach with Regis who helps with on-field instruction. Regis University runs background checks on all coaches, he said. Regis is a private Catholic university with a mission to “provide value-centered undergraduate and graduate education.”

“We don’t know anything about this,” Phillips said.

All of the suspects are facing a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $4 million fine. Six suspects are currently at large.

Distributed by Colorado Capitol Reporters

Obama has signaled support
Marsden said his foundation is holding cheer until the president signs the bill into law. It wouldn’t be the first time similar legislation made its way through Congress but never became law. President George W. Bush helped stop such a bill in the last Congress, arguing existing state and federal laws were adequate. But President Obama has signaled his support.
The issue hits close to home in Colorado where in Greeley last April a man who murdered a transgender woman was convicted under the state’s hate crimes law.
Allen Andrade was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Angie Zapata. In addition to first-degree murder, he was convicted of a hate crime in the vicious and deadly beating of Zapata. It was the first time in the nation that a state hate crimes statute resulted in a conviction connected to a transgender person’s murder.
Congressman Jared Polis, D-Boulder, pushed his colleagues Thursday to pass the legislation. Polis, who is gay and one of the original cosponsors of the legislation, said the decision to support the bill was difficult for him because in backing the hate crimes language, he is also backing the defense bill, which ultimately authorizes continued war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Polis opposes military occupation in the two countries.
“Recognizing, however, that this authorization will inevitably continue war efforts inherited from the previous administration, I took great pause in deciding to support it,” the congressman said on the House floor. “But Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this authorization today because in doing so, Congress finally — after nearly a decade of debate — has the opportunity to also pass historic hate crimes legislation.”
“There is a difference between burning a cross on the lawn of an African American family and an act of simple arson,” continued Polis. “This legislation clarifies that our country has zero tolerance for hate crimes.”

Stepped-up punishment
Conviction of a hate crime carries stepped-up punishment, above and beyond that meted out for the attack. The bill would allow the federal government to help state and local authorities investigate hate crimes.
The measure now moves to the Senate for final consideration and then on to the president.
Congresswoman Diana DeGette, D-Denver, joined Polis in applauding passage of the legislation.
“Everyone in this country deserves the opportunity to live their lives free from intimidation and persecution,” said DeGette, who is vice-chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus. “This act will provide state and local law enforcement agencies with resources they need to investigate and prosecute hate crimes, while also protecting the exercise of free speech under our Constitution.”

Distributed by Colorado Capitol Reporters

LAW WEEK COLORADO
Denver radio talk show host and criminal lawyer Craig Silverman spoke critically of how terror suspect’s Najibullah Zazi’s attorney is handling his client’s case.
“If your client has something to say, there’s a time and place for it, and it’s after you know what the information is. … Otherwise, it’s a bad idea to speak to law enforcement,” Silverman said. He was referring to Zazi and his attorney, Arthur Folsom, who counseled his client through three days of FBI interviews before his arrest and the arrest of his father Saturday night.
“On the surface, it appears the case of a lawyer letting his client talk to the FBI to his client’s detriment,” said Silverman, who acknowledged that Folsom also might be “crazy like a fox.”
“You look at this lawyer and wonder, is this the right role for this lawyer?” Silverman said. “I don’t know if he’s in over his head or not.”
Silverman, a well-known Denver legal pundit, made his impromptu remarks to reporters who had assembled outside the Alfred A. Arraj U.S. Courthouse following the first appearance of Zazi and his father, Mohammed Zazi. Both men are accused of lying to federal investigators.
On Monday, Mohammed Zazi agreed to be represented by a federal public defender, Warren Williamson.
Folsom, who has a small practice on South Colorado Boulevard, has been licensed to practice law only since 1998 and was not registered with the federal court until this morning. Additionally, news outlets reported that he’s currently facing charges of marijuana possession in Larimer County, but Folsom has denied the marijuana was his.

By Peter Rossi, LAW WEEK COLORADO
DENVER — Two Aurora men appeared in court on Monday on charges of lying to federal authorities in a case that alleges a national bombing plot. Monday’s hearing saw one of the men switch attorneys and informed he could be released from jail but monitored electronically.
Najibullah Zazi and his father, Mohammed Zazi, showed up in the clothes they were arrested in Saturday night. U.S. Magistrate Judge Craig Shaffer advised the father and son of the charges alleged, and he said the charges could carry a maximum eight years in prison.
Shaffer said he would release Mohammed Zazi on $50,000 bail, and U.S. Attorney Dave Gaouette, flanked by two assistant U.S. attorneys and a Department of Justice attorney, did not protest. But Mohammed Zazi’s house is not deemed ready for electronic monitoring, which could take up to 48 hours, so he will likely stay in custody until Thursday morning.
Denver attorney Art Folsom asked to continue representing Najibullah Zazi but requested that the court appoint a public defender for Zazi’s father. Shaffer agreed that Mohammed Zazi qualified for such representation and appointed a federal public defender, Warren Williamson.
During the rest of the hearing, Williamson answered all queries directed to Mohammed Zazi. Williamson requested a Pashtun interpreter for any future appearance made by his client, and both the U.S. attorneys and Shaffer agreed.
A bail hearing was set for Najibullah Zazi, 24, for 9 a.m. Thursday. The 53-year-old Mohammed Zazi will have a detention hearing then to determine if his home is fit for the electronic monitoring device.
The two men were arrested Saturday during an investigation into a plot to detonate homemade bombs throughout the United States. Federal agents claim Najibullah Zazi admitted to al-Qaeda training and had notes on his laptop on how to construct a bomb. The Zazis have been in Denver County Jail since their arrest. Neither has been charged with terrorism.

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20090920 Mohammed Wali Zazi

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