FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 7, 2007
WILLIAM L. GLADNEY SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR RACKETEERING AND OTHER VIOLATIONS AT ADAMS COUNTY MOTEL
GLADNEY IS THIRD DEFENDANT TO RECEIVE LIFE SENTENCE IN THIS CASE
DENVER - Troy A. Eid, United States Attorney for the District of Colorado, announced today that WILLIAM L. GLADNEY, aka “L” was sentenced this morning to serve life in federal prison without the possibility of parole by U.S. District Court Judge Marcia S. Krieger for federal racketeering charges related to activity that took place at the Alpine Rose Motel, located at 6251 North Federal Boulevard, in Adams County, Colorado. GLADNEY is the third defendant to be sentenced to life in federal prison. Co-defendants LEE ARTHUR THOMPSON and ALVIN HUTCHINSON also were sentenced to serve life in federal prison by Judge Krieger.
GLADNEY was found guilty during a jury trial earlier this year of committing a racketeering act – the first degree murder of Marlo Johnson – as part of a RICO charge. The murder occurred at the motel on October 23, 2004.
GLADNEY and fourteen others were indicted by a federal grand jury on April 4, 2005, for crack cocaine distribution and related charges which took place at the Alpine Rose Motel. According to the facts that came out during the course of the prosecution of this case, both from trials and plea agreements, during 2004, the defendants utilized the Alpine Rose Motel as a point of distribution for crack cocaine on a very large scale.
It was revealed that over 1 kilogram of crack cocaine a day was distributed using rooms as points of manufacture and distribution. The evidence indicated that customers would drive through the Alpine Rose Motel in order to purchase the crack cocaine. The enterprise also engaged in acts of violence in order to maintain control overs its participants and customers.
The sentences of the fifteen defendants who were indicted and then pled or were found guilty, all imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Marcia Krieger, are as follows:
Lee Arthur Thompson LIFE imprisonment on 4 counts to run concurrent
Alvin Hutchinson LIFE imprisonment on 3 counts to run concurrent
William L. Gladney LIFE imprisonment on 2 counts to be followed by an additional 10 years
Junior Ray Montoya Serve 240 months in federal prison
Kenneth Prien Serve140 months in federal prison
Steven Lamont Ellis Serve 135 months in federal prison
Denise Gutierrez Serve 131 months in federal prison
Ronald Dean DeHerrera Serve 72 months in federal prison
Paul Rose, Jr. Serve 70 months in federal prison
Cecilia Lozano Serve 63 months in federal prison
David Zamora Serve 60 months in federal prison
Jorge Banuelos Serve 54 months in federal prison
Jessica Cruthers Serve 35 months in federal prison
Milton A. Yon Serve 28 months in federal prison
Steve Zamora Serve 18 months in federal prison
“Given the nature of their crimes, Mr. Gladney and his co-defendants have earned the right to be removed from our community for a very long time,” said U.S. Attorney Troy Eid.
This case was investigated by the North Metro Drug Task Force. North Metro Drug Task Force member agencies include the Adams County Sheriff Office, Broomfield Police Department, Brighton Police Department, Commerce City Police Department, Federal Heights Police Department, Northglenn Police Department, Thornton Police Department, and the Westminster Police Department.
Special Agents from the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) assisted in the investigation as well as the apprehension of the defendants. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office also assisted with the arrests. The investigation and prosecution was aided by the Adams County District Attorney’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jaime Pena and Gregory Rhodes.
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