In July 2022, the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) Falcon Property Investigations Unit identified a crime pattern occurring in Colorado Springs. A male suspect would attend open house events throughout the Front Range, posing as a realtor representing an out-of-state client, and steal items from the residences. Many of the items stolen were high-value pieces of jewelry. The four identified investigations totaled approximately $25,000 in losses, primarily involving open house events and stolen jewelry.
Through the cooperative efforts of detectives and patrol officers from the Falcon Division, they identified the suspect as 37-year-old Brandon Hernandez. An arrest warrant was issued for Hernandez for the charges of Theft, a class four felony (due to the value of the items stolen).
It was also discovered, Hernandez had approximately 13 outstanding warrants, including 9 active felony arrest warrants. These warrants included Burglary, Theft, Larceny, Failure to Comply, Failure to Appear, and Dangerous Drug offenses. These arrest warrants had been issued from several counties in Colorado, including El Paso, Weld, Denver, Douglas, Arapahoe, Boulder, and Jefferson.
On July 15th, 2022, members of CSPD Falcon Division, arrested Hernandez in Morrison, Colorado with the assistance of the Morrison Police Department. As a result, this prolific offender was taken into custody and transported to the Jefferson County Jail. At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of suspected Fentanyl and several pieces of suspected stolen jewelry.
With the assistance of the Lakewood Police Department, a search warrant was conducted on Hernandez’s residence. During the execution of the search warrant, officers seized approximately $50,000 worth of suspected stolen jewelry. Hernandez has a lengthy criminal history for similar offenses, including providing false information to pawn brokers. Hernandez did provide investigators with admissions of his involvement in the thefts and said he did it to support his use of fentanyl.
“This is an example of how different law enforcement agencies continue to work together to protect the citizens in our communities. Unfortunately, it is another example of how the fentanyl bill fails to properly address the fentanyl epidemic in our state” Chief Adrian Vasquez stated.
If you believe you were a victim of Brandon Hernandez’s open house/fake realtor scam, please contact your local law enforcement agency.
If you reside in Colorado Springs, this is still an active investigation and anyone with information or who is a witness to this investigation is asked to call the Colorado Springs Police Department at (719) 444-7000; or if you wish to remain anonymous, you may call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (719) 634-STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477.