Federal prison terms of more than a decade for a man and woman convicted of carjacking in south metro Denver show that violent crimes won’t be tolerated, Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly declared Wednesday.
He touted the sentencing of Brian Armando Diaz Montellano, 29, to 14 years in prison and of Alexis Michele Ruder-Iturrino, 27, to 11 years in prison after both pleaded guilty to firing a gun during a carjacking in June 2022 near the intersection of Broadway Boulevard and C470 in Highlands Ranch.
U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan has said they “terrorized their carjacking victims.” United States District Court Judge Raymond Moore issued the sentences on April 17.
Douglas County Sheriff deputies chased Diaz Montellano and Ruder Iturrino on June 19 as they were moving in a stolen Dodge truck at speeds around 100 miles per hour, authorities said. Diaz Montellano drove the truck directly in front of a moving Subaru Cross Trek, forcing a stop, court records show. He demanded that the two occupants of the Subaru get out. Ruder-Iturrino held an AR-15 rifle, pointed it at the occupants, then fired a shot into the ground. Diaz Montellano and Ruder-Iturrino got into the Subaru and fled. Police later arrested Diaz Montellano in possession of a loaded 9mm pistol. FBI and Denver police assisted in the case.
Sign up to get crime news sent straight to your inbox each day.
