Category: Crime

Corporations, Crime, Economics, Ethics, Local business, Red Rock dealerships, Red Rock GMC Grand Junction, Scams, Worker advocacy

Red Rock Auto wage theft lawsuit headed for trial Dec. 9-11

by Anne Landman • November 20, 2024 • 4 Comments

Red Rock GMC on First Street in Grand Junction, where Derek Paíz was employed as a detailer

A civil wage theft lawsuit, 23CV52 (pdf), filed by a tenacious former vehicle detailer against Red Rock Auto Group II, Inc. and Red Rock’s local minority owner Bryan Knight, is headed for a fast-approaching jury trial December 9-11, 2024 at the Mesa County Justice Center.

At a virtual pre-trial conference this morning, November 20, Judge Matthew Barrett confirmed that the trial is set for those dates and will be heard by a 6-person jury.

Bryan Knight, now listed as a minority (10%) owner of Red Rock GMC

Derek Paíz worked as a detailer for Red Rock GMC at 741 N. First Street in Grand Junction from April-September, 2022. He filed the case pro se (on his own, without an attorney) on October 26, 2023 seeking wages he alleges Red Rock failed to pay him for work he did while employed at the GMC dealership in 2022.

Elect a criminal, expect crimes

by Anne Landman • November 8, 2024 • 28 Comments

There will be no one to blame but American voters for what is going to happen next.

After a decade in politics, we all knew Donald Trump was a criminal.

He was found guilty last May of 34 felony counts of fraud and was slapped with a $355 million fine after he and his company were found guilty of engaging in a decade-long scheme to defraud banks and lenders by falsifying the values of his properties. In writing the verdict in the case, Judge Arthur Engoron wrote “The frauds found here leap off the page and shock the conscience.” In 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation.

Proposition 128: The Parole Eligibility Initiative

by Anne Landman • October 8, 2024 • 4 Comments

Photo: Unsplash

*Some information from Ballotopedia:

Proposition 128 (full text, PDF) would change requirements to be eligible for parole for people convicted of specific violent crimes like second-degree murder, first-degree assault, first-degree kidnapping, first or second-degree sexual assault, first-degree arson, first-degree burglary, and aggravated robbery.

Currently in Colorado, a person convicted of certain violent crimes can apply for parole after serving 75% of their sentence, and their sentences can be reduced further by time earned for good behavior.

Under Prop. 128, people who commit crimes like this on or after January 1, 2025, would be required to serve 85% of their sentence before being eligible for parole, and earned time for good behavior could not be used to reduce the sentence.

Judge sentences Tina Peters to 9 years of incarceration, plus 3 years of parole after she completes her sentence

by Anne Landman • October 3, 2024 • 24 Comments

Here is the last 22 minutes of today’s sentencing hearing in which Judge Barrett gives Tina a stern talk how and why he arrived at the sentence he chose, and in which she finds out she is sentenced to 9 years of incarceration (6 months in the Mesa County Detention Facility to be served first, and then 8 1/2 more years in the Department of Corrections) plus 3 years of parole after she completes her sentence.

Consumer advocacy, Crime, Ethics, Local business, Local concerns, Red Rock Hyundai, Red Rock Hyundai Grand Junction, Scams

State opens case into alleged forgery at Red Rock Hyundai

by Anne Landman • September 17, 2024 • 4 Comments

Subpoena related to a 2022 transaction at Red Rock Hyundai in which allegedly forged signatures were discovered by a credit union on purchase documents for a used 2020 GMC Sierra truck. Mr. Acevedo, the customer who tried to buy the vehicle, was the victim in the case.

The Colorado Attorney General and Auto Industry Division are subpoenaing documents related the alleged forgery of signatures discovered during a customer’s attempt to purchase a used truck at Red Rock Hyundai in 2022.

Jesus Acevedo, the victim of the alleged 2022 forgeries in the case, received a subpoena dated 8/29/2024 in the state’s case.

In January, 2022 Mr. Acevedo attempted to buy a 2020 GMC Sierra pickup from Red Rock Hyundai. He was never shown any of the documents from his purchase while he was at the Hyundai dealership. He saw them for the first time at the Sooper Credit Union, where he went to arrange financing. A loan officer printed out the documents from the sale and saw four signatures that didn’t look like Mr. Acevedo’s signature. He showed the signatures to Mr. Acevedo, who affirmed they were not his. One of the questionable signatures was on an agreement to buy a $10,000 extended warranty that Mr. Acevedo wasn’t told about and did not approve.

The verdict is in in Tina Peters’ criminal trial

by Anne Landman • August 12, 2024 • 22 Comments

Tina Peters at her trial in Mesa County

Following are the findings of the jury returned at 5:20 p.m. this afternoon in the criminal case of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters:

Count 1 – Attempt to influence a public servant – Jesse Romero (employee of the Colorado Secretary of State’s office) – GUILTY
Count 2 – Attempt to influence a public servant – David Underwood (employee of the Colorado Secretary of State’s office) – GUILTY
Count 3 – Conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, April 23-May 18, 2021 – NOT GUILTY
Count 4 – Attempt to influence a public servant – Danny Casias (employee of the Colorado Secretary of State’s office) – GUILTY
Count 5 – Criminal impersonation May 23-27, 2021 – NOT GUILTY
Count 6 – Conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation – May 23-27, 2021 – GUILTY
Count 7 – Identity theft – NOT GUILTY
Count 8 – First degree official misconduct – guilty on all options on interrogatories
Count 9 – Violation of Duty – GUILTY
Count 10 – Failure to comply with requirements of the Secretary of State’s office – GUILTY with all interrogatories proven beyond a reasonable doubt

Peters’ sentencing is scheduled for October 3, 2024, at 9:00 a.m.

Bad behavior, Belinda Knisley, Conspiracy theories, Corruption, Crime, Democracy under threat, Election deniers, Embarrassing Republicans, Extremism, Fake patriotism, Republican lies, Trump Insanity, Weird Grand Junction Stuff

Take-aways from Tina’s trial

by Anne Landman • August 10, 2024 • 21 Comments

Tina on Bannon’s War Room the morning after a Mesa County jury convicted her of 4 felonies and 3 misdemeanor counts related to her election tampering case.

Tina Peters’ criminal trial finally played out this past week, three years after she was accused of engaging in multiple felonies as Mesa County Clerk. The trial is being live-streamed by KREX, and you can watch it whenever Court is in session. The link to watch it is here, but if you haven’t tuned in yet, you’ve missed most of it. The prosecution and defense rested their cases Friday, August 9. Monday will bring closing arguments and jury instructions before the jury is sent to deliberate Tina’s fate. The judge said he thought the remaining phases of trial would likely be completed by noon on Monday, August 12.

Lots of information was presented at the trial, much of which the public hasn’t known about before, and most of it quite damning to Tina. Here are some of the biggest take-aways from the trial this week:

How to watch Tina Peters’ criminal election tampering trial online

by Anne Landman • August 1, 2024 • 9 Comments

KREX TV will be streaming the entire criminal trial of former Mesa County Clerk-turned-election denier Tina Peters whenever court is in session. You can view it on their website at this link, or live on YouTube at this link. Both links have a Chromecast icon, allowing you to cast live video to your TV if you have a Chromecast device.

Crazy MAGA loyalist endorses Donald Trump

by Anne Landman • June 10, 2024 • 11 Comments

…courtesy of the TheSystemMechanic on You Tube.

Advertising, Crime, Ethics, Greedwashing, Scams, Weird Grand Junction Stuff

Grand Junction Jackalopes accept sponsorship by Red Rock Auto Group

by Anne Landman • June 3, 2024 • 18 Comments

Logo of the Grand Junction Jackalopes baseball team

The Grand Junction Jackalopes announced in a May 29 press release that they have “agreed to a sweeping partnership that will make Red Rock Auto Group the official auto dealer of the Grand Junction Jackalopes.”

Local baseball fans will now be confronted with the name of “Red Rock Auto” at every turn in their Jackalopes game day experience. As part of the sponsorship deal, the Diamond Club at Suplizio Field will now “officially be renamed the “Red Rock Auto Diamond Club,” and fans will now enter Suplizio Field through gates re-named the “Red Rock Auto North Gate” or the “Red Rock Auto South Gate.” The grill is even named the “Red Rock Auto Grill.”

That will be tough to swallow for local baseball fans who fell victim to Red Rock’s illicit sales techniques.

Trump “Jail Time” billboard goes live June 1, visible on Broadway bridge heading west towards Redlands

by Anne Landman • May 31, 2024 • 10 Comments

Graphic by MadDogPac.com and used with permission.

The above billboard goes live June 1 on the north side of the Broadway Bridge. You’ll see it as you’re heading west out of downtown towards the Redlands, and it couldn’t be more timely in light of Trump’s conviction yesterday on 34 criminal counts of business document fraud.

Since it’s a vinyl billboard and not a digital one, it will be visible 100% of the time and will even be lit up at night.

Yesterday Trump became the first former U.S. president in history to become a convicted felon.

New York jury convicts Donald Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records

by Anne Landman • May 30, 2024 • 12 Comments

A New York jury has found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records in his so-called “hush money trial” about payments he made to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet in the run-up to the 2016 election. He is the first U.S. President to be convicted of felony crimes.

Trump will be sentenced July 11 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time by Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the case.

New billboard coming June 1

by Anne Landman • April 12, 2024 • 16 Comments

Thanks to a collaboration between MadDogPAC.com and Mesa County citizens who understand the danger that Republicans and Trump pose to freedom and American democracy in the November general election, as of June 1 the above billboard will be up on Highway 340 in Grand Junction, visible to people driving west onto the Redlands over the Broadway bridge, and it will be lit up all night. It will be there for two months and could appear elsewhere around the valley after the initial two months if enough people donate to make it happen.

Former Overstock.com CEO says he paid one of Tina Peters’ attorneys $1 million for her criminal defense

by Anne Landman • April 7, 2024 • 5 Comments

Warning– video contains an expletive

In a video posted on rumble.com on April 3, 2024, Patrick Byrne, the former CEO of Overstock.com, says he paid Tina Peters’ former attorney, Douglas Richards, $1 million to defend her, but was disappointed in Richards’ defense strategy.

Peters fired Richards just as her criminal trial was finally set to start in February, winning her yet another lengthy delay in her trial. It is now scheduled to start on July 31, 2024, after two days of jury selection.

Restore the Balance is bringing Cassidy Hutchinson to Grand Junction

by Anne Landman • March 16, 2024 • 17 Comments

The promotional poster for Cassidy Hutchinson’s appearance in Grand Junction. RTB will have more details on this event as the time draws closer.

Cassidy Hutchinson is a former White House aide who served as assistant to Chief of Staff Mark Meadows during the Trump administration.

Hutchinson testified at the June 28, 2022 public hearings of the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack, providing testimony on President Donald Trump’s conduct and that of his senior aides and political allies before and during the January 6 United States Capitol attack. As a Trump administration member and direct eye witness to the events that unfolded that day, Hutchinson’s testimony received significant national attention, with several media outlets calling it “compelling” and “explosive.”

Lauren Boebert’s eldest son arrested on 22 charges amid alleged crime spree

by Anne Landman • February 28, 2024 • 8 Comments

Rifle Police Department’s Facebook post about the Tyler Boebert’s arrest yesterday.

House Rep. Lauren Boebert’s eldest son, Tyler Jay Boebert, 18, was arrested yesterday, February 27, 2024 (pdf) by the Rifle Police Department on a mix of 22 charges of felonies and petty offenses. The arrest came amid a spree of car break-ins and property thefts in Rifle.

Local owner of Red Rock Auto pushed out

by Anne Landman • February 22, 2024 • 14 Comments

Bryan Knight, the now former part-owner of Red Rock Auto dealerships

The sole local owner of the Red Rock Auto dealership chain, Bryan Knight, has been pushed out of the company.

Documents from the Colorado Department of Revenue show Mr. Knight, who oversaw the Red Rock dealerships and had long been listed as a partner and minority owner of the Red Rock GMC and Honda stores, is no longer an owner of record for any Red Rock stores.

The rumor that Mr. Knight had been pushed out of Red Rock Auto came on January 19, when someone in the local auto industry contacted AnneLandmanBlog to say “Bryan Knight no longer works at Red Rock.”

Rumor: In a reversal, Red Rock got fleeced by a customer

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