A 25-year-old man took a plea deal last week and was sentenced to 20 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for his involvement in a large-scale car theft ring that primarily targeted victims at Denver International Airport.
David Nava-Delgado pleaded guilty to violating the Colorado Organized Crimes Act and two counts of felony aggravated motor vehicle theft on Oct. 14, according to a news release from the Adams County District Attorney’s Office.
An Adams County grand jury originally charged Nava-Delgado and 12 others as part of a 121-count indictment following a rash of car thefts throughout the Denver area between February 2022 and March 2023, according to the news release.
The group used some of those stolen cars to smash through the fronts of businesses and steal ATMs, the release stated.
Nava-Delgado was one of the car theft ringleaders and was found by police in a stolen vehicle containing several key programming devices and blank keys, according to prosecutors.
Nava-Delgado led police on a high-speed chase in a stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee and was identified as the driver of a stolen Dodge Charger used as a getaway car after a Denver-area burglary, according to the release.
He was also identified as the driver of a stolen Ford F150 involved in an accident in Thornton, according to prosecutors. Nava-Delgado fled the scene of the crash, but his DNA was found on the airbag.
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Motor vehicle thefts continue to drop across the Denver area, the release stated.
According to data from the Colorado Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force, there was a 28% decrease in car thefts statewide from 2023 to 2024. There was also a 30% decrease in the Denver area and a 55% decrease at DIA.
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