DENVER, CO – David Houston Vargas, 30, of Adams County, Colorado, is facing over two decades behind bars after a federal judge slammed him with a 26.5-year sentence for a pair of brazen armed robberies and his connection to a shooting at a law enforcement officer. The sentencing, handed down Wednesday, November 2, 2022, brings a measure of closure to a case that terrorized the Denver suburbs in November 2020.
According to court documents, Vargas and his co-defendant, Kitira Hayes, 22, of Arvada, robbed a Foot Locker in Lakewood and a DSW store in Westminster on November 14, 2020. In both instances, Vargas brandished a revolver, threatening employees while they stuffed merchandise into bags. He reportedly told one employee, “This is my first time…don’t do anything stupid.” The duo didn’t stop at theft. Later that same night, as they fled in a vehicle, Hayes repeatedly fired shots from Vargas’s revolver at an Adams County Sheriff’s Deputy during a pursuit.
The four-day trial, presided over by Judge R. Brooke Jackson, revealed the extent of Vargas’s disregard for public safety. Jurors delivered their verdict on June 3, 2022, finding Vargas guilty on multiple counts. U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan stated, “The defendant showed no regard for the safety of others. He will have a long time behind bars to reflect on how his actions harmed so many people in just a matter of hours.” The sentencing sends a clear message: armed robbery and attacks on law enforcement will not be tolerated.
Hayes, Vargas’s accomplice, already received a 14.75-year federal prison sentence on March 1, 2022, for her role in the robberies and the shooting at the deputy. A third individual, Taylor Amanda Isaac, 25, of Lakewood, received four years of probation on September 16, 2022, for her involvement in the scheme. Authorities haven’t detailed Isaac’s specific role, but her lighter sentence suggests a lesser degree of participation.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Lakewood Police Department, the Westminster Police Department, and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. ATF Special Agent in Charge David S. Booth emphasized the agency’s commitment to combating gun violence, stating, “ATF will continue to vigorously investigate, apprehend, and pursue the prosecution of those who do.” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Celeste Rangel, Melissa Hindman, and Elizabeth Young prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program focused on reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement and communities. The recent strengthening of PSN aims to foster trust, support community organizations, prioritize strategic enforcement, and measure results. Case number: 21-cr-00024. The streets of Adams County, and beyond, are a little safer with Vargas locked up, but the Grimy Times will continue to track the fallout from this case and the ongoing fight against violent crime.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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