Pueblo Crew Busted in Denver Bank Heist Spree

Denver-Boulder area banks were targeted in a string of robberies over May and June, and the feds have finally landed three suspects from Pueblo. Leo Elias Benavidez, 34, and Ashley Raeanne Cooper, 33, are accused of actually hitting the banks, while Britne Bree Schneider, 25, allegedly helped them make a clean getaway.

According to federal complaints unsealed this week, Benavidez and Cooper are each facing four counts of bank robbery and aiding and abetting. The pair allegedly robbed four banks and attempted a fifth. Schneider, meanwhile, is charged with being an accessory after the fact, specifically accused of driving the getaway car after three of the robberies. The FBI’s Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force led the investigation, pulling in resources from multiple local police departments.

The investigation wasn’t a solo effort. Detectives from the Brighton, Denver, Arvada, Westminster, Boulder, and Lafayette Police Departments all contributed to tracking down the suspects and building the case. The feds are keeping tight-lipped about specifics of the evidence, but it’s clear they’ve been building this case for weeks.

All three defendants made their initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Crews on June 21st. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Dunn is handling the prosecution, and you can bet he’ll be pushing for a stiff sentence if he can prove his case. The case numbers are 23-mj-00108-NRN (Schneider), 23-mj-00109-NRN (Cooper), and 23-mj-00110-NRN (Benavidez).

Remember, these are just allegations at this point. Benavidez, Cooper, and Schneider are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. But the feds rarely bring charges like these without a solid amount of evidence. This is a serious situation, and the stakes are high for all involved.

This bust comes on the heels of other recent cases in the area. Just last month, Leonard Cordova of Pueblo received a sentence for possessing a firearm and distributing drugs. The feds are clearly focusing resources on cracking down on crime originating from Pueblo, and this bank robbery case is just the latest example. Stay tuned to Grimy Times for further updates as this case unfolds.