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Date: 03-21-2023
Case Style:
United States of America v. James David Trujillo, Jr.
Case Number: 1:22-cr-00213
Judge: Christine M. Arguello
Court: United States District Court for the District of Colorado (Denver County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States Attorney’s Office in Denver
Defendant's Attorney:
Description: Denver, Colorado criminal defense lawyer represented Defendant charged with bank robbery, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and brandishing a weapon during a federal crime of violence.
On June 15, 2022, James David Trujillo, Jr., age 25, of Lakewood, Colorado, was one of two men who robbed a Canvas Credit Union on West 5th Avenue in Lakewood. The men were armed with an AR-15 and shotgun. The codefendant, Darren Michael Connolly, was wearing a GPS bracelet at the time of the robbery. Both men were covered in masks and ran from the bank to a waiting getaway car. Connolly was arrested on June 16, 2022 and charged. Investigators were able to determine the identity of the second robber soon thereafter.
Judge Christine M. Arguello presided over the five-day trial. After five hours of deliberations, the jury returned a guilty verdict convicting Trujillo on all counts on March 17, 2023. Trujillo will be sentenced on July 17, 2023. Co-defendant Darren Michael Connolly pleaded guilty on February 28, 2023, to the same charges and will be sentenced on July 18, 2023.
"We cannot thank the jury and the FBI’s Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force enough for their tireless commitment to upholding justice and holding bank robbers accountable,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan. “We will not tolerate such brazen criminal conduct in our communities.”
“Bank robbery is not a victimless crime,” said Denver FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “The threat of violence in these incidents can have a traumatic and lasting impact on the employees and customers who live through them. FBI Denver and our Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force will continue to work with our local partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to pursue federal prosecution and reduce violence in our communities.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Coccaro handled the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
18 U.S.C. §§ 2113(a) and 2 Bank Robbery, Aiding and Abetting
(1)
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c)(1)(A)(ii) and 2 Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, Aiding and Abetting
(2)
18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition
(4)
Outcome: Defendant was found guilty by a jury.
03/17/2023 122 MINUTE ENTRY for proceedings held before Judge Christine M. Arguello: Jury Trial Day Five held on 03/17/2023. Deliberations began at 7:30 a.m. JURY VERDICT. Jury excused with the thanks of the Court. ORDERED: Sentencing set for 07/17/2023 at 4:00 p.m. The US Probation Office shall prepare a Presentence Report. In accordance with Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure 32(F)(1), counsel shall file their sentencing positions and all motions at least 14 days before the sentencing date; responses or objections no later than seven days before the sentencing date; or advise the Court that they do not intend to file any papers. Failure to file position papers by that date may result in a continuance of the sentencing date. FURTHER ORDERED: Portions of the transcript are restricted until further order of the Court. FURTHER ORDERED counsel for the parties shall retain custody of their respective exhibits and depositions until such time as all need for the exhibits and depositions has terminated and the time to appeal has expired or all appellate proceedings have been terminated plus sixty days. Defendant present in custody; Defendant remanded. (Total time: 10 minutes, Hearing time: 9:18 am 9:28 am)
APPEARANCES: Brian Dunn and Kristin Coccaro on behalf of the Plaintiff; Lisa Moses on behalf of the Defendant. ALSO PRESENT: Special Agent Greg Kloepper. Court Reporter: Kevin Carlin. Text Only Entry. (lrobe) Text Only Entry (Entered: 03/17/2023)
03/17/2023 123 JURY VERDICT as to James David Trujillo, Jr (lrobe) (Entered: 03/17/2023)
03/17/2023 124 Jury Verdict Un-Redacted - Level 4 - Viewable by Court Only (lrobe) (Entered: 03/17/2023)
03/17/2023 125 Final Jury Instructions as to James David Trujillo, Jr (lrobe) (Entered: 03/17/2023)
03/17/2023 126 Jury Notes as to James David Trujillo, Jr (lrobe) (Entered: 03/17/2023)
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: