AUTHORITIES CHARGE MEMBERS OF “THE FAMILY” IN SUSPECTED CRIMINAL RING THAT TERRORIZED DENVER AREA

Authorities charge members of “The Family” in suspected criminal ring that terrorized Denver area

A group of alleged criminals known as “The Family” faces incitement on charges related to extortion, armed robbery, kidnapping and other felonies in the Denver, Colorado area. 

The indictments came from a Denver Grand Jury on December 2, 2020, but were not announced by the Denver District Attorney until weeks later. The 12 members of the criminal enterprise were indicted on 92 counts in connection to crimes committed between April 2019 and October 2020. The Denver District Attorney Office stated the crimes were committed to fuel the group’s drug habit.

 “The Family” is accused of stealing the identities of more than 240 people, boosting vehicles worth a total of $550,000 and stealing and selling bicycles, weapons, jewelry, sports memorabilia, money and electronics. To steal the identities, officials said the group looted mail and then forged documents to make purchases or obtain fraudulent lines of credit. 

The defendants are between 22 and 41 years old. Sarah Marie Lore, 38, the reported ring leader, was dubbed as “Street Mom” by officials. The Denver District Attorney claimed Lore used Facebook to broker deals to sell the stolen items. The group also flipped stolen items at pawn shops and in face-to-face meetings.

According to the indictment, “the defendants, whom Lore called her ‘Street Sons,’ ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters,’ shared money, property, food, clothing and living quarters.” The group kept a locker that held items, including a notebook with instructions on their fraudulent schemes. 

One suspected crime involved the theft of a recreational trailer in Westminster, Colorado, where neighbors confronted the defendants but were scared off when one of the suspects reportedly fired two shots as a warning. Another alleged incident involved two defendants robbing someone Lore said owed her $60 for an illegal gun. During the robbery, a defendant fired a gun, endangering the lives of the victim, the victim’s child, the victim’s mother-in-law and the victim’s wife.

In yet another suspected incident detailed by the indictment, defendants went to the home of other members of “The Family” to threaten their landlord. It was reported the landlord was going to evict the members who lived there until Lore and two other defendants threatened the landlord with a bat and stole $1,000 worth of belongings from the landlord’s home.

Lore has been accused of keeping control over her family by using violence against the members, who have been identified as the following: Estevan Barrientos, 23, Sherry Beth Swain, 36, Martynas Calka, 22, Brian Hernandez, 30, Dakota Maurice Hoffman, 27, Misha Nicholas Lamanna, 41, Derrick Leo Mowery, 33, Clifford James Puppe, 36, Kimberly Jean Redd 30, Matthew David Sanchez, 34, and Christopher Lee Wallman, 39.

During the alleged spree, eight of the 12 defendants were on probation. Charges against the defendants include:

● Colorado’s Organized Crime Control Act

● Identity theft

● Second-degree kidnapping

● First-degree burglary

● Robbery

● Aggravated motor vehicle theft in the first degree

● Criminal extortion

● Theft 

● Menacing

● Third-degree Assault 

The defendants are being tried individually in Denver District Court. Eight of the suspects were in custody as of late 2020.