The ringleader, and 12 other suspects, were convicted and sentenced in a largescale vehicle-theft operation that centered around Denver International Airport.

On Oct. 23, 2023, 13 suspects were indicted on 121 counts of theft in a illegal operation focused around DIA area and metro Denver., according to a 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office news release.

On Oct. 14, 10 days ago, a judge sentenced suspected ringleader David Nava-Delgado to 20 years in the Department of Corrections, a sentence which will run alongside his convictions in Larimer County, according to the release.

Most of the car theft cases spanned between February 2022 to March 2023.

“The 13 defendants were part of a prolific group that stole vehicles from various locations, including DIA,” according to the release. “They used some of those vehicles to smash through the fronts of businesses and steal ATMs.”

Attorneys named Nava-Delgado as one of the ringleaders of the operation. He was found in a stolen vehicle with theft programming devices and blank keys, according to the release.

In one instance, Delgado stole a Jeep Grand Cherokee, leading police on a high-speed chase next to a stolen F-150 Raptor. The occupants of the Raptor fled the vehicle and jumped into Nava-Delgado’s stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee, the investigation revealed.

Inside the Raptor, police found two handguns, various blank keys, and key fobs. Additionally, Nava-Delgado was identified as the driver of a stolen Dodge Charger used in a burglary. He was also connected to a stolen Ford F-150 involved in a traffic crash in Thornton, the release states.

Nava-Delgado pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated motor vehicle theft.

“This defendant was a principal player in a massive scheme to steal cars from Denver International Airport and now he’s going to prison,” District Attorney Brian Mason said in a statement.

From 2023 to 2024, Colorado saw a 28% reduction in motor vehicle thefts, while metro Denver experienced a 30% decrease and a 55% decrease at DIA, according to data from the Colorado Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force.

“When Colorado saw a massive increase in motor vehicle thefts, we set out to curb the spike — and we’ve succeeded,” Mason said. “I’m proud of the work of my team and law enforcement who not only indicted 13 individuals for terrorizing innocent passengers at DIA but prosecuted and convicted those same defendants who have caused so much pain throughout our jurisdiction.”