Robert Bellender, Cocaine Distribution, Money Laundering, Colorado 2013

Aurora Man Behind Bars for Cocaine Distribution and Money Laundering

Robert Bellender, a 39-year-old resident of Aurora, Colorado, has been dealt a harsh sentence for his involvement in cocaine distribution and money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello ordered Bellender to serve 54 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.

Bellender was taken into custody immediately after the sentencing hearing, marking the end of a lengthy investigation that began in October 2011. During this period, numerous cocaine purchases were made from Bellender by a DEA undercover agent, who revealed that codefendants Bruce Thomas, Andrew T. Sorensen, and others were ordering quantities of powder and crack cocaine from Bellender on multiple occasions.

According to court documents, Bellender’s initial supplier of cocaine ceased distribution, prompting him to purchase distribution quantities of powder cocaine and crack cocaine from Korian Bascombe, who was, in turn, supplied by Victor Rivas-Pinzon. Bellender and Bascombe would then convert powder cocaine into the more lucrative crack form.

Based on the investigation by the Front Range Task Force, which includes the DEA, IRS CI, and Aurora Police Department, it is estimated that Bellender and his coconspirators purchased and distributed or sold at least 20 kilograms of cocaine and 5 kilograms of crack cocaine between October 2011 and May 2013.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Boma, who brought Bellender to justice for his crimes. Other defendants charged in the superseding indictment include Korian Bascombe, Victor Rivas-Pinzon, Andrew T. Sorensen, and Bruce Thomas. Sorensen pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served, while Rivas-Pinzon and Thomas were sentenced to 42 and 38 months in prison, respectively. Bascombe pleaded guilty on September 9, 2014, and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 16, 2015, by Judge Arguello.

Bellender was originally charged by a criminal complaint on May 10, 2013, followed by a superseding indictment on June 18, 2013. He pleaded guilty on July 29, 2014, marking the end of his involvement in the cocaine distribution ring.

The Front Range Task Force’s investigation revealed that Bellender was purchasing cocaine from Bascombe for $1,200 per ounce, equivalent to approximately 705 ounces of cocaine. This staggering amount highlights the severity of Bellender’s crimes and the impact they had on the community.

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