Two dozen alleged gang members were arrested Wednesday in a series of raids, authorities said, capping a two-year investigation.
The alleged members of the Rollin’ 60s street gang were arrested in the early morning in a joint effort by the Aurora and Denver police departments, the FBI and the Arapahoe County sheriff, the 18th Judicial District attorney’s office said.
Most of the arrests were in Denver and Aurora.
The raids were launched after a grand jury indicted 25 people on 73 criminal counts, including violation of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, attempted first-degree murder, robbery, aggravated robbery and first-degree assault.
One of the 25 people who were indicted — 18-year-old Roderick Penny of Aurora — remains at large.
Arrested were Kevon Bell, Durron Bryant, Devion Collins, Shawn Connor, Anas Dakir, Alim DeLeon, Vernon Dorsey, Karen Espino, Glen Gates, Keyanna Howard, Darryl Hunter, Dante King, Terrence McGary, Kendrick Penny, Daryahn Rollen, Franklyn Spencer, Jarice Sylvester, Terrence Thompson, Jamal Turner, Rasheem Turner, Tynasia Turner and Vincente Vitela.
Two of the people arrested are juveniles whose names were not released.
Bail amounts for 16 of the defendants were set at $500,000, with the remainder at $50,000.
Officials said the joint investigation began in 2012, after Aurora Police began tracking an escalation in violent crime in the city. The probe revealed that many of the alleged crimes had connections to the Rollin’ 60s.
Originally based out of Los Angeles, the Rollin’ 60s grew out of the West Side Crips in the 1970s, the district attorney’s office said.
Officials said the gang may have been in Aurora since the 1980s.
“Investigations such as these can be extremely complex, especially when dealing with alleged organized criminal elements,” said Aurora interim Chief of Police Terry Jones.
“It is good to know that law enforcement agencies can work together to keep our communities safe. Vigorous investigation and prosecution of alleged lawbreakers benefits the entire community.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle said in a statement that the indictments show “the success that can be attained when agencies combine resources to investigate alleged street gangs.”
Police urged anyone with information about Roderick Penny’s whereabouts to call the Aurora Police Department at 303-627-3100.
However, they urged the public not to try to apprehend him themselves.
