logo
Eaton man sentenced to more than 100 years after attempting to murder 2 officers

Eaton man sentenced to more than 100 years after attempting to murder 2 officers

Yahoo11-04-2025

DENVER (KDVR) — A Weld County man was sentenced to more than 100 years for attempting to murder two police officers in 2021.
On Friday, the 19th Judicial District Attorney's Office said 34-year-old Levi Miller was sentenced to 156 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
On Tuesday, a jury convicted Miller of the following charges:
Two counts of attempted first-degree murder – after deliberation
Two counts of first-degree assault
Four counts of attempted first-degree murder – extreme indifference
The conviction and sentencing stem from an incident on Sept. 24, 2021. On that day, two Eaton police officers were called to a report of a domestic dispute at Miller's home. When the officers arrived, the DA's office said Miller was armed with an MK47 rifle with a fully loaded 100-round drum.
Former Castle Rock resident sentenced to 32 years to life for sexual assaults on 3 children
The DA's office said Miller fired 30 rounds at the officers. The officers returned fire and struck Miller.
During the shooting, Miller reportedly struck a neighbor's house eight times — one bullet hit their gas line, and the seven other bullets hit a bedroom wall where two children were sleeping.
'These officers were simply doing their job that night by serving and protecting their community,' Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Pirraglia said. 'I don't care if you call it luck, a blessing or a miracle. The fact that any of these people can walk into the courtroom today is simply amazing.'
'Their entire job is to help people, to protect people and to keep our communities safe.' Weld County Judge Audrey Galloway told the defendant during the sentencing hearing. 'It's astounding to me that you did not kill someone that day.'
Following an investigation, Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke cleared both the officers and determined they were legally justified in their actions.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Inside the Trump administration's overhaul of organized crime investigations
Inside the Trump administration's overhaul of organized crime investigations

Boston Globe

time10 hours ago

  • Boston Globe

Inside the Trump administration's overhaul of organized crime investigations

Officials said the plan to bring law enforcement agencies together in the new Homeland Security Task Forces has been driven primarily by President Donald Trump's homeland security adviser, Stephen Miller, who is closely overseeing the project's implementation. Advertisement Current and former officials said the proposed reorganization would make it easier for senior officials like Miller to disregard norms that have long walled off the White House from active criminal investigations. 'To the administration's credit, they are trying to break down barriers that are hard to break down,' said Adam W. Cohen, a career Justice Department attorney who was fired in March as head of the office that coordinates organized crime investigations involving often-competing federal agencies. 'But you won't have neutral prosecutors weighing the facts and making decisions about who to investigate,' he added of the task force plan. 'The White House will be able to decide.' The proposed reorganization would elevate the stature and influence of Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement among law enforcement agencies, while continuing to push other agencies to pursue immigration-related crimes. Advertisement The task forces would at least formally subordinate the Drug Enforcement Administration to HSI and the FBI after half a century in which the DEA has been the government's lead agency for narcotics enforcement. Trump's directive to establish the new task forces was included in an Inauguration Day executive order, The new task forces will seek 'to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs and transnational criminal organizations throughout the United States,' the order states. They will also aim to 'end the scourge of human smuggling and trafficking, with a particular focus on such offenses involving children.' Since that order was issued, the administration has proceeded with considerable secrecy. Some Justice Department officials who work on organized crime have been excluded from planning meetings, as have leaders of the DEA, people familiar with the process said. A White House spokesperson, Abigail Jackson, did not comment on Miller's role in directing the task force project or the secrecy of the process. 'While the Biden Administration opened the border and looked the other way while Americans were put at risk,' she said, 'the Trump Administration is taking action to dismantle cross-border human smuggling and trafficking and ensure the use of all available law enforcement tools to faithfully execute immigration laws and to Make America Safe Again.' The task force project was described in interviews with current and former officials who have been briefed on it. ProPublica also reviewed documents about the implementation of the task forces, including a briefing paper prepared for Cabinet-level officials on the president's Homeland Security Council. Advertisement The Homeland Security Task Forces will take a 'coordinated, whole-of-government approach' to combatting transnational criminal groups, the paper states. They will also draw support from state and local police forces and U.S. intelligence agencies. Until now, the government has coordinated that same work through a Justice Department program established by President Ronald Reagan, the Known by the ungainly acronym OCDETF (pronounced 'oh-suh-def'), the $550-million program is above all an incentive system: To receive funding, different agencies (including the DEA, the FBI and HSI) must come together to propose investigations, which are then vetted and approved by prosecutor-led OCDETF teams. The agents are required to include a financial investigation of the criminal activity, typically with help from the Treasury Department, and they often recruit support from state and local police. The OCDETF intelligence center, located in the northern Virginia suburbs, manages the only federal database in which different law-enforcement agencies share their raw investigative files. While officials describe OCDETF as an imperfect structure, they also say it has become a crucial means of law enforcement cooperation. Its mandate was expanded under the Biden and first Trump administrations to encompass all types of organized crime, not just drug trafficking. As recently as a few months ago, the deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, declared that But just weeks after Blanche's announcement, the administration informed OCDETF officials their operations would be shut down by the end of the fiscal year in September. In a letter to Democratic senators on June 23, the Justice Department confirmed that the Homeland Security Task Forces would absorb OCDETF's 'mission and resources' but did not explain how the new structure would take charge of the roughly 5,000 investigations OCDETF now oversees. Advertisement 'These were not broken programs,' said a former Homeland Security official who, like others, would only discuss the administration's plans on condition of anonymity. 'If you wanted to build them out and make sure that the immigration side of things got more importance, you could have done that. You did not have to build a new wheel.' Officials also cited other concerns about the administration's plan, including whether the new task force system will incorporate some version of the elaborate safeguards OCDETF has used to persuade law enforcement agencies to share their case files in its intelligence database. Under those rules, OCDETF analysts must obtain permission from the agency that provided the records before sharing them with others. Many officials said they worried that the new task forces seem to be abandoning OCDETF's incentive structure. OCDETF funds are conditioned on multiple agencies working together on important cases; officials said the monies will now be distributed to law enforcement agencies directly and without the requirement that they collaborate. 'They are taking away a lot of the organization that the government uses to attack organized crime,' a Justice Department official said. 'If you want to improve something, great, but they don't even seem to have a vision for how this is going to work. There are no specifics.' The Homeland Security Task Forces will try to enforce interagency cooperation by a 'supremacy clause,' that gives task force leaders the right to pursue the cases they want and shut down others that might overlap. Advertisement The clause will require 'that any new or existing investigative and/or intelligence initiatives' targeting transnational criminal organizations 'must be presented to the HSTF with a right of first refusal,' according to the briefing paper reviewed by ProPublica. 'Further,' it adds, 'the supremacy clause prohibits parallel or competitive activities by member agencies, effectively eliminating duplicative structures such as stand-alone task forces or specialized units, to include narcotics, financial, or others.' Several senior law enforcement officials said that approach would curtail the independence that investigators need to follow good leads when they see them; newer and less-visible criminal organizations would be more likely to escape scrutiny. In recent years, those officials noted, both Democratic and Republican administrations have tried at times to short-circuit competition for big cases among law enforcement agencies and judicial districts. But that has often led to as many problems as it has solved, they said. One notable example, several officials said, was a move by the Biden administration's DEA administrator, Anne Milgram, to limit her agency's cooperation with FBI and HSI investigations into fentanyl smuggling by Los Chapitos, the mafia led by sons of the Mexican drug boss Joaquín Guzmán Loera, known as 'El Chapo.' Although the DEA eventually indicted the Chapitos' leaders in New York, officials from other agencies complained that Milgram's approach wasted months of work and delayed the indictments of some traffickers. Later, when the FBI secretly arranged the surrender of one of the sons, Joaquín Guzmán López, DEA officials were not told about the operation until it was underway, officials said. (Guzmán López initially pleaded not guilty but is believed to be negotiating with the government. Milgram did not respond to messages asking for comment.) Advertisement As to the benefits of competition, prosecutors and agents cite the case of El Chapo himself. Before he was extradited to the United States in January 2017, Guzmán Loera had been indicted by seven U.S. attorneys' offices, reflecting yearslong investigations by the DEA, the FBI and HSI, among others. In the agreement that the Obama Justice Department brokered, three offices led the prosecution, which used the best evidence gathered by the others. Under the new structure of the Homeland Security Task Forces, several officials said, federal prosecutors will still generally decide whether to bring charges against criminal groups, but they will have less of a role in determining which criminals to investigate. Regional and national task forces will be overseen by 'executive committees' that are expected to include political appointees, officials said. The committees will guide broader decisions about which criminal groups to target, they said. 'The HSTF model unleashes the full might of our federal law enforcement agencies and federal prosecutors to deliver justice for the American people, whose plight Biden and Garland ignored for four years,' a Justice Department spokesperson said, referring to former Attorney General Merrick Garland. 'Any suggestion that the Department is abandoning its mission of cracking down on violent organized crime is unequivocally false.' During Trump's first term, veteran officials of the FBI, DEA and HSI all complained that the administration's overarching focus on immigration diverted agents from more urgent national security threats, including the fentanyl epidemic. Now, as hundreds more agents have been dispatched to immigration enforcement, those officials worry that the new task forces will focus on rounding up undocumented immigrants who have any sort of criminal record at the cost of more significant organized crime investigations. The first task forces to begin operating under the new model have not assuaged such concerns. In late May, On June 16, the Gulf of America Homeland Security Task Force, a new unit based in Alabama and Georgia, announced the arrests of 60 people, nearly all of them undocumented immigrants, at a cockfighting event in northern Alabama. Although cockfighting is typically subject to a maximum fine of $50 in the state, a senior HSI official claimed the suspects were 'tied to a broader network of serious crimes, including illegal gambling, drug trafficking and violent offenses.' Once again, however, no details were provided. It is unclear how widely the new task force rules might be applied. While OCDETF funds the salaries of more than a thousand federal agents and hundreds of prosecutors, thousands more DEA, FBI and HSI agents work on other narcotics and organized crime cases. In early June, five Democratic senators wrote to Bondi questioning the decision to dismantle OCDETF. That decision was first reported by Bloomberg News. 'As the Department's website notes, OCDETF 'is the centerpiece of the Attorney General's strategy to combat transnational-organized crime and to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the nation,'' In a June 23 response, a Justice Department official, Daniel Boatright, wrote that OCDETF's operations would be taken over by the new task forces and managed by the office of the Deputy Attorney General. But Boatright did not clarify what role federal prosecutors would play in the new system. 'A lot of good, smart people are trying to make this work,' said one former senior official. 'But without having prosecutors drive the process, it is going to completely fracture how we do things.' Veteran officials at the DEA — who appear to have had almost no say in the creation of the new task forces— are said to be even more concerned. Already the DEA has been fighting pressure to provide access to investigative files without assurances that the safeguards of the OCDETF intelligence center will remain in place, officials said. 'DEA has not even been invited to any of the task force meetings,' one former senior official said. 'It is mind-boggling. They're just getting orders saying, 'This is what Stephen Miller wants and you've got to give it to us.''

Ramaphosa drops DA deputy minister; Top cop arrested: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
Ramaphosa drops DA deputy minister; Top cop arrested: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes

News24

time10 hours ago

  • News24

Ramaphosa drops DA deputy minister; Top cop arrested: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes

News24 brings you the top 7 stories of the day. News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature. DA supports Budget 3.0, despite Whitfield axing - The DA will support the national Budget despite the party's deputy minister being axed from the government of national unity (GNU). - DA leader John Steenhuisen challenged President Ramaphosa to prove the DA is a trustworthy partner within 48 hours. - Steenhuisen stated the DA is prioritising South Africa's interests over party politics by voting for the bill. Police Crime Intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo arrested - Major-General Dumisani Khumalo, the SA Police Service Crime Intelligence (CI) boss, has been arrested by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) for alleged unlawful senior appointments. - This is the second arrest of senior CI officers in two weeks, following the arrest of Major-General Philani Lushaba and others for allegedly covering up a burglary at Lushaba's home. - Khumalo will be transported to a police station in Pretoria for processing. DEAR TAXPAYER | Tembisa Hospital 'kingpin' faces SARS charges as R500m corruption web widens - Stefan Govindraju, a key figure in the R2.3-billion Tembisa Hospital procurement scandal, faces criminal tax charges for allegedly failing to submit tax returns for his company, Fuligenix. - Govindraju controlled over 56 companies that received nearly R450 million in dubious tenders from Tembisa Hospital, flagged as potentially fraudulent by murdered whistleblower Babita Deokaran. - An investigation revealed Govindraju's network was wider than previously known, with five additional entities and R16 million in payments, and the SIU uncovered severe procurement irregularities, fraud, and money laundering. 'We both die, or you die alone': How one woman fought off gunman who tried to rape her - Onkabetse Zandile Mashile fought off a gun-wielding attacker who ambushed, strangled, and attempted to rape her. - Mashile criticised the police for their lack of response, even with the attacker's location from her phone tracker. - Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said a robbery with a firearm case was opened and encouraged the victim to report the allegations of policing failing to assist her. Misha Jordaan/Gallo Images via Getty Images 'We can't kill mining for fresh air' says Mantashe on Karoo fracking - Minister Gwede Mantashe is advocating for the revival of shale gas exploration in the Karoo to address South Africa's looming gas shortage. - Mantashe criticises South Africa's inaction, stating the country behaves like it doesn't want to save itself despite the impending depletion of gas resources from Mozambique. - He says that once environmental regulations are received from the DFFE, the moratorium on fracking will be lifted, inviting investment in Karoo's shale gas. Daniel Hlongwane/Gallo Images 'I almost jumped on him!' Lood back with the Boks after nightmare two years - Lood de Jager is making a comeback to the Springboks after overcoming injuries and a heart condition, partnering with Jean Kleyn for the Barbarians clash. - Teammates and coach Rassie Erasmus praise De Jager's resilience, skill, and dedication to the game, highlighting his importance to the team. - De Jager expresses his excitement to be back, acknowledging the competition at lock and his motivation to contribute to the Springboks. Show Comments ()

FBI continues to track down plutonium allegedly sold by Hadley man
FBI continues to track down plutonium allegedly sold by Hadley man

Yahoo

time20 hours ago

  • Yahoo

FBI continues to track down plutonium allegedly sold by Hadley man

SPRINGFIELD — Federal investigators told a judge last week that they are continuing to assess what the customers who allegedly purchased small amounts of plutonium from a Hadley man did with the material. On April 22, a federal grand jury indicted Jacob Miller, 43, on charges of being a felon in possession of explosives and ammunition. Prosecutors said when investigators searched Miller's home, they found firearms, hazardous chemicals and radioactive materials, including plutonium taken from Soviet Union-era smoke detectors. Prosecutors said Miller ran an online business called Collect The Periodic Table. A website that appears to be connected with the enterprise lists a full periodic table for $140. A small amount of plutonium alone was listed for $500. The affidavit filed with the federal court in Springfield last week disclosed the FBI's ongoing investigation into the matter. Miller allegedly shipped out plutonium about 60 times between December 2020 and March 2025, FBI Special Agent Darrell Hunter said in the affidavit dated June 20. 'The defendant's distribution of Plutonium to a broad series of individuals, with no apparent vetting of these customers, poses a particular danger to public safety,' Hunter wrote. Miller, the affidavit said, shipped the material across the United States and out of the country. So far, only 10 of the customers gave the material they purchased from Miller to the FBI, Hunter said. 'The FBI's investigation into this matter, including the extent to which the defendant distributed Plutonium and what the defendant's customers did with the Plutonium, is continuing,' Hunter wrote. Reached for comment, a spokeswoman for the FBI referred questions to the U.S. Attorney's Office. A spokesperson at the U.S. Attorney's Office did not reply to a request for comment. John Gilbert, a senior science fellow at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, while the small amounts allegedly sold by Miller is nowhere near the amount needed for a nuclear bomb, plutonium is deadly if handled incorrectly. If its powder is breathed in — even in small amounts — it causes 'extremely, extremely bad respiratory distress,' he said. Gilbert said it is unlikely the material prosecutors said came from smoke detectors was plutonium, as the Soviets 'needed all the plutonium they could get.' Rather, another radioactive element — americium — is good for use in smoke detectors, and it is not as dangerous, he said. The FBI said in its affidavit it is gathering the materials it obtained from Miller's customers 'for radiological testing.' Federal prosecutors filed the affidavit as part of their response to Miller's defense attorney, who requested Judge Katherine Robertson reconsider her order detaining Miller until his trial. Miller was detained after prosecutors said Miller moved materials from his home after the court said he could only reenter the home to retrieve personal care items, clothing and his cat. Miller's attorney, Charles Dolan, asked Robertson in a motion on June 13 to release his client 'under whatever conditions the Court may deem appropriate.' Miller, Dolan wrote, has been held since April 10 at a detention facility in Central Falls, Rhode Island, and has been unable to take his medication for obsessive-compulsive disorder and ADHD as his prescriptions are prohibited at the facility. His mental health has deteriorated as a result, Dolan wrote. Dolan did not return a request for comment. In response to the motion, prosecutors said Miller had a history of violating probation conditions, and they are continuing to investigate him for possession of child sex abuse images. Miller was previously convicted for possessing child pornography and explosives in separate cases in Hampshire Superior Court. Prosecutors also shared with the court a series of handwritten documents — including what prosecutors said appeared to a poem titled 'Bits and Pieces.' The 'defendant appears to have engaged in dangerous musings about blowing up friends and family in Hadley, among other subjects,' Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Breslow wrote in a memorandum. At a hearing Wednesday, Robertson decided that Miller would remain detained, according to the clerk's notes of the proceedings. Springfield brewery, cannabis store team up to offer downtown concert Springfield debates stricter laws to stop drug dealing near parks, schools following shutdown of trafficking operation Alliance for Digital Equity pushes for internet access for underserved on namesake day Judge: Case for Pittsfield woman suing car repo company can move to trial Read the original article on MassLive.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store