DENVER - A Denver man was sentenced Friday to two years in the Colorado Department of Corrections in connection to a February 2025 theft of two English Bulldog puppies at a Centennial pet store.
Timothy Davis, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft for his role in the incident. Davis will serve one year of parole following his release, according to a news release from the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office.
On Feb. 21, 2025, Davis entered the Perfect Pets store located on South University Boulevard and asked about the two English Bulldog puppies and their prices. Employees informed him that the puppy enclosures could not be opened without photo identification.
Davis then fell to the ground and appeared to be suffering from a medical emergency or seizure, prosecutors said.
Davis' co-defendant, Jonathan Muniz, then removed the secured lid from the enclosure, grabbed both puppies and ran from the store. Prosecutors say an employee was kicked in the face when they tried to stop Muniz from leaving the store.
Investigators determined Davis created the diversion to distract the employees so the puppies could be stolen. Surveillance footage captured the theft.
“This wasn’t a spontaneous act. It was a coordinated theft that relied on distracting employees who believed they were helping someone experiencing a medical emergency,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Rebecca Jochum said in a news release. “Mr. Davis played an important role in carrying out that plan, and today he was held accountable for his actions."
The puppies were valued at more than $4,000 each, according to the news release. Both puppies were eventually found and returned to the store.
Muniz was convicted of robbery, theft, conspiracy to commit theft and third-degree assault for his role in the crime. He was sentenced in February to eight years in prison, which is being served consecutively to a 12-year prison sentence in an unrelated Adams County Case. He is not eligible for parole until 2034, prosecutors said.
“Local businesses are working hard to make a living, serve their communities and support their employees. They should not have to worry about being stolen from or having their employees assaulted while simply trying to do their jobs,” District Attorney Amy Padden said in a news release. “We will continue to hold people accountable when they target businesses and the hardworking people behind them."