DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — Deputies in Douglas County said on Friday they arrested a tow truck driver accused of stealing dozens of cars and possessing child pornography.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that in an investigation that began in December, a detective learned that Brian Chacon, 33, with Eagle Wing Towing might be taking vehicles he had no legal right to impound or possess.
There was only one impound yard where Chacon and Eagle Wing Towing were allowed to store impounded vehicles, the sheriff's office said. Vehicles that were later reported stolen had been in Chacon's possession and were never taken to that lot.
Deputies found that Chacon had instead taken "numerous" vehicles to U-Pull-&-Pay lots in Denver and Aurora, as well as the Littleton U-Pull, according to the sheriff's office.
Detectives found that of the 81 cars known to have been either sold to a salvage yard by Eagle Wing Towing or Chacon or were known to be associated with them, 48 were confirmed as stolen and four were found to be Eagle Wing's property, according to the sheriff's office.
Twenty-nine vehicles could not be confirmed as stolen due to the inability to find the true owner.
The sheriff's office said detectives also discovered that Chacon was in possession of child pornography.
A warrant was issued for Chacon on Aug. 9, and he was arrested on Aug. 11. He was being held in the Douglas County jail on $350,000 bail.
The sheriff's office recommended the following charges:
- 5 counts of sexual exploitation of a child/possession of child pornography
- 48 counts of second-degree motor vehicle theft
- 37 counts of forgery
- 37 counts of chop shop activity
- 1 count of driving under restraint
"I am very proud of our patrol deputies and detectives' work on this case," said Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly in a statement. "This suspect was preying on people who trusted that their vehicles would still be in the locations where they left them, whether they were disabled or otherwise. My message again: if you come into Douglas County to commit crimes, we will hold you accountable."