Denver Indictment Charges 11 In Stolen Mail/Drug Ring

Eleven people are charged in a 186-count indictment with stealing the personal and financial information from more than 400 people and businesses. The 11 used that information to steal more than $100,000, according to the indictment announced in Denver on Wednesday.

The district attorney's office says that beginning in April, 2016, the groups started stealing mail containing identifying information and personal and business checks.

The defendant then allegedly used victims’ identities and altered, made and distributed stolen and/or counterfeit checks that were then cashed or attempted to be cashed at numerous banks and credit unions in the Denver area.

The defendants allegedly bought, sold, traded and bartered among each other the stolen personal and financial information and checks in exchange for drugs, mostly methamphetamine and heroin, and also bought, sold and traded the drugs among themselves.

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The district attorney's office says that 36-year-old Sean Jones and 48-year-old Kathleen Cooke were the ring leaders and are charged with one count of Colorado's Organized Crime Control Act as well as other felonies.

Also arrested were twin sisters, Andrea and Danielle Bentley, and two other people, Alan Mill and Shawn Rowland.

Officials say that Cooke was arrested Monday as she was getting ready to cash some counterfeit checks with new accomplices.

The indictment is the result of a months-long investigation and collaboration by the Denver District Attorney’s Economic Crime Unit, Denver Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Black Hawk Police Department, FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force,
Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

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