2 Found Guilty In Ken Caryl Carjacking, Kidnapping

GOLDEN, CO – Two men who bragged they were gang members of the "211-Crew" when they kidnapped and a robbed a young couple they met at a Ken Caryl sports bar have been convicted in Jefferson County District Court and are awaiting sentencing.

A Jefferson County jury found Jeremy Scott Hackbarth, 34, guilty Aug. 29 of ten felony counts after a six-day trial. Co-defendent Casey Daniel Cleveland, 33, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated robbery, the First Judicial District Attorney's Office said.

On Sept. 17, 2017, the two men befriended a male and female couple at the Mirage sports bar in the 8400 block of Cole Mine Avenue, according to an arrest affidavit. The foursome drank at the bar, then one of the two defendants became rowdy and was asked to leave, the couple told police. All four left the bar at the same time, and Hackbarth and Cleveland asked for a ride home.

But as they drove southbound on Wadsworth, after midnight, Cleveland pulled a knife and put it to the male driver's neck. Hackbarth reached forward and put his arm around the female’s neck and threatened to kill her, then choked her repeatedly, police reports said. The two men bragged that they were gang members belonging to the "211-Crew," and the couple noticed one man had a tattoo of Johnny Cash on his hand and the other was wearing a hat that said "Zoo York."

The woman jumped out of the moving car at Wadsworth and Chatfield, as it traveled around 50 miles per hour, police said. Hackbarth and Cleveland then ordered the male to turn into a neighborhood and pull over. They threatened to shoot him and told him to get out of the car. Hackbarth and Cleveland then drove away in the female victim’s car.

The woman climbed over a backyard fence, pounded on a door and screamed for help, the affidavit said. Police found the man walking along Wadsworth holding her shoes.

Sheriff's officers located Hackbarth and Cleveland nearby after neighbors complained that they were making a disturbance. Cleveland was later discovered to have a Johnny Cash tattoo on his hand and Hackbarth was wearing a Zoo York hat matching the description provided by the carjacking victims.

The jury found Hackbarth guilty of kidnapping, aggravated robbery, second degree assault and aggravated motor vehicle theft and other counts.

Cleveland is scheduled for sentencing on Sep. 20 and Hackbarth is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 6, the district attorney's office said.

Images Cleveland and Hackbarth via Jefferson County District Attorney's Office

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