DENVER — A Colorado grand jury indicted seven individuals accused of running a “complex” auto theft ring that operated across Mesa and Garfield counties and parts of Utah, Attorney General Phil Weiser announced Tuesday.
The seven dependents face several charges, including racketeering and conspiracy, and were identified as follows:
- Alexis Gustavo Garibo-Meraz
- Luis Enrique Villanueva-Gonzalez
- Jose Armando Luzania-Martinez
- Jose Madrid-Trevizo
- Luis Alverto Rodriguez-Reyna
- Yuren Zamarron Marquez
- Raymundo Medrano-Madrid
The group is accused of stealing 44 vehicles, mainly pickup trucks and off-highway vehicles, worth over $870,000, and selling them to private citizens, according to the indictment.
Authorities said the organized crime ring operated from October 2021 to May 2024.
They used VIN swapping/cloning and fraudulent license plates to disguise the stolen vehicles, which Weiser said “delayed the discovery of the criminal ring.”
“I am grateful for the hard work of this law enforcement partnership that took down a complex auto theft operation that harmed so many Coloradans on the Western Slope,” Weiser said in a statement.
Several agencies, including Colorado and Utah law enforcement, worked together in the investigation, Weiser said.
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