A Larimer County District Court judge has sentenced Rene Ruiz to 24 years in state prison for his role as a high-level member of criminal organizations involved in auto theft and burglary across Colorado from 2020 to 2023. Ruiz, aged 24, was linked to three significant motor vehicle theft and burglary cases filed last year.
Court records reveal that Ruiz facilitated the theft and sale of vehicles from various sources, including private citizens, commercial dealerships, and automotive repair shops. He also committed burglaries at several businesses in the Denver area, Front Range, and Denver International Airport. The defendant used sophisticated devices to bypass anti-theft features on vehicles and coordinated their illegal sale abroad. His actions endangered law enforcement officers during these thefts.
The criminal organizations connected to Ruiz are believed to have stolen at least 365 motor vehicles, along with recreational vehicles, catalytic converters, and firearms. The total value of the stolen vehicles exceeds $8.3 million, while the catalytic converters are estimated to be worth between $53,000 and $78,000.
Ruiz entered a global plea agreement with the attorney general’s office. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges across different counties under the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act (COCCA), including racketeering and aggravated motor vehicle theft.
Prosecutors highlighted that this sentence is one of the longest secured by the attorney general’s office in an organized motor vehicle theft case. Attorney General Phil Weiser stated: “In collaboration with law enforcement partners, we were able to investigate and break up three overlapping major auto theft rings that harmed many residents and businesses in Colorado.”
District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin emphasized the impact of motor vehicle theft on communities: “Motor vehicle theft impacts communities all across our state and can have massive repercussions on our residents.”
District Attorney Brian Mason noted: “This defendant engaged in high level criminal acts across the metro area and has now been held accountable.”
The sentencing coincides with a reported decrease in motor vehicle thefts statewide and in Denver this year. Data from the Colorado Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force (C-MATT) shows a significant drop compared to last year.
Cmdr. John Pickard praised collaborative efforts: “C-MATT detectives worked diligently with multiple partners to help investigate these COCCA cases.”
The prosecution was made possible through partnerships among various entities including the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Unit, local district attorney offices, police departments across multiple towns, C-MATT, and the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority (CATPA).
Westminster Chief of Police Norm Haubert commented on law enforcement collaboration: “These partnerships resulted in the conviction of an individual belonging to a crime ring that victimized both our community and the greater metropolitan area.”
Other defendants related to these cases remain in custody awaiting court appearances.
A grand jury indictment is merely an accusation under Colorado laws; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.