Four Defendants Sentenced to Prison for Violent Crime Spree That Spanned Three Counties and Lasted More Than Two Hours
September 28, 2023
Brighton, CO — Today, 17th Judicial District Attorney Brian Mason is announcing the convictions and sentences for Deshawn Flores, 29, Sergio Bucio, 24, Lailani Sanchez, 25, and Dominica Meza, 26, related to their roles in a multi-jurisdictional crime spree in Adams County, Jefferson County, and Denver County in the early morning hours of August 28, 2021.
First Incident
1:42am
West 72nd Avenue and Federal Boulevard, Westminster, CO
The victim in the first incident was driving eastbound along West 72nd Avenue in Westminster when Lailani Sanchez, who was driving a Chevrolet Malibu, passed in front of him and stepped on her brakes multiple times. The victim continued driving but Sergio Bucio leaned out of the window of the Malibu and fired multiple gunshots at his vehicle. The victim stopped at a red light, but so did Sanchez and Bucio in the Malibu and Deshawn Flores who was driving a Mazda CX5 with Dominica Meza who was riding as his passenger. Flores exited the driver's seat of the Mazda and approached the victim's vehicle with a gun in hand. The victim attempted to roll up his window, but Flores struck him with the handgun. The victim tried to fight back as multiple shots were fired. The victim sustained gunshots to his left leg and left arm. Flores reentered the Mazda and both suspect vehicles fled the scene. Surveillance video recovered nearby also showed Bucio exit the Malibu and shoot at the victim. Seven shell casings were recovered from the scene.
Second Incident
2:40am
2300 Block of Alcott Street, Denver, CO
A Denver Police HALO camera captured Lailani Sanchez arriving at the 2300 Block of Alcott Street in Denver. Sanchez exited the driver's seat, Dominica Meza exited the front passenger seat, and Deshawn Flores and Sergio Bucio exited the rear passenger seats. Bucio was holding a large rifle and firing it into the air. At approximately 3:07am, a dark colored vehicle drove away from the area. Flores chased it on foot while holding a handgun. A Subaru entered the area at the same time. Flores turned his attention to the Subaru and pointed his handgun in the direction of the three individuals inside. Sanchez, Meza, Flores, and Bucio re-entered the Mazda and chased the Subaru toward Speer Boulevard and Zuni Street. Sanchez eventually blocked in the Subaru, and Flores and Bucio exited the rear of the Malibu. Flores and Bucio pointed their guns at the occupants of the Subaru. The Subaru took off, Flores and Bucio re-entered the vehicle, and Sanchez gave chase. Sanchez rammed the Subaru several times during the pursuit. The final impact disabled the vehicle near West 26th Avenue and Kendall Street in Lakewood. Flores exited the Malibu, entered the rear of the Subaru and assaulted one of the victims inside. The defendant hit her with his handgun while demanding she turn over her purse and cell phone. Meza and Sanchez joined the assault before Flores turned his attention to a bystander who attempted to assist the victims inside the vehicle. Flores struck the man in the face with his handgun. Bucio used his rifle to break the driver's side window of the Subaru and held another occupant at gunpoint while demanding her purse and cellphone. The defendants then reentered the Malibu and fled the scene.
Third Incident
3:15am-3:30am
West 42nd Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada, CO
Lailani Sanchez rear ended two people who were driving in the area of West 42nd Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard in Arvada. Sanchez pulled up alongside the victim's vehicle, and the defendant's yelled in their direction. Sanchez pulled in front of the victim's vehicle in an attempt to get her to stop. Sanchez struck the victim's vehicle again, so she pulled over in a parking lot. Sanchez, Meza, Flores, and Bucio exited the Malibu. Meza was holding a handgun while the other three were holding AR-15 style rifles. Flores, Bucio, and Sanchez jumped the victim who was sitting in the passenger seat. Meza ripped the driver out of the car and pistol whipped her in the face. The victim from the passenger seat was struck in the face with the butt of a gun and one of the defendants held the barrel of a rifle to his face, causing significant injury, and said give me everything you've got. The victims were eventually able to get away from the four defendants, and they fled the area.
Fourth Incident
3:34am
5250 Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada, CO
A victim called Arvada Police about a carjacking that occurred along Wadsworth Boulevard in Arvada. The victim was driving a 2017 Buick Encore that the defendants took from him at gunpoint after they used their Malibu to slam into the rear of his vehicle. The victim pulled to the side of the road and Sanchez got out of the driver's seat apologizing to the victim for losing control. Flores exited the Malibu with a gun in hand and threatened to kill the victim while pointing the gun at his face. Flores entered the Buick Encore and drove off. Sanchez re-entered the Malibu and fled the scene.
Fifth Incident
3:40am
7540 Pecos Street
(See Video)
The victims in this case were leaving a 7-Eleven in their Mercedes when the defendants blocked in their car using the stolen Buick Encore and the Chevy Malibu. Flores approached the driver's side door of the Mercedes with a handgun. Flores pointed the gun at the two victims inside. The victim in the driver's seat attempted to reverse but was blocked by the Buick Encore. Flores opened the driver's side door and struck the victim with the handgun. Bucio exited the Malibu with an AR-15 which he pointed at the victims. Flores removed the driver from the vehicle and continued to assault him, causing significant injury. Bucio also used his AR-15 and struck the victim multiple times. Flores opened the rear passenger side door and took a bag containing more than $500 in cash. Bucio and Flores returned to their vehicles and fled the scene. 20 minutes later, Adams County Deputies engaged in a pursuit with the Buick Encore that Flores was driving. Meza, who was driving the Mazda, attempted to interfere with the pursuing deputy, but eventually the vehicles stopped and Meza and Flores were apprehended. Bucio and Sanchez were apprehended at a later date.
(Warning: This video contains explicit and violent content and may be unsuitable for certain audiences)
Downloadable Version: 7-Eleven Surveillance Video
The defendants in this case all recently pleaded guilty to the charges below and were sentenced accordingly.
Lailani Sanchez
This investigation and subsequent prosecution were the result of a successful collaboration between Arvada Police, Adams County Sheriff's Office, Denver Police, Westminster Police, and the District Attorney's Office.
The prosecution was led by Senior Lead Deputy District Attorney Brittany Martin and Senior Deputy District Attorney Shannon Elwell of the Adams County District Attorney's Office in the 17th Judicial District.
# # #
District Attorney Mason assumed the oath of office on January 12, 2021. The 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office endeavors to seek justice on behalf of the citizens of Adams and Broomfield counties in felony and misdemeanor cases. DA Mason and his staff are dedicated to transforming the criminal justice system to better serve the citizens of the 17th Judicial District.
Go Back First Incident
1:42am
West 72nd Avenue and Federal Boulevard, Westminster, CO
The victim in the first incident was driving eastbound along West 72nd Avenue in Westminster when Lailani Sanchez, who was driving a Chevrolet Malibu, passed in front of him and stepped on her brakes multiple times. The victim continued driving but Sergio Bucio leaned out of the window of the Malibu and fired multiple gunshots at his vehicle. The victim stopped at a red light, but so did Sanchez and Bucio in the Malibu and Deshawn Flores who was driving a Mazda CX5 with Dominica Meza who was riding as his passenger. Flores exited the driver's seat of the Mazda and approached the victim's vehicle with a gun in hand. The victim attempted to roll up his window, but Flores struck him with the handgun. The victim tried to fight back as multiple shots were fired. The victim sustained gunshots to his left leg and left arm. Flores reentered the Mazda and both suspect vehicles fled the scene. Surveillance video recovered nearby also showed Bucio exit the Malibu and shoot at the victim. Seven shell casings were recovered from the scene.
Second Incident
2:40am
2300 Block of Alcott Street, Denver, CO
A Denver Police HALO camera captured Lailani Sanchez arriving at the 2300 Block of Alcott Street in Denver. Sanchez exited the driver's seat, Dominica Meza exited the front passenger seat, and Deshawn Flores and Sergio Bucio exited the rear passenger seats. Bucio was holding a large rifle and firing it into the air. At approximately 3:07am, a dark colored vehicle drove away from the area. Flores chased it on foot while holding a handgun. A Subaru entered the area at the same time. Flores turned his attention to the Subaru and pointed his handgun in the direction of the three individuals inside. Sanchez, Meza, Flores, and Bucio re-entered the Mazda and chased the Subaru toward Speer Boulevard and Zuni Street. Sanchez eventually blocked in the Subaru, and Flores and Bucio exited the rear of the Malibu. Flores and Bucio pointed their guns at the occupants of the Subaru. The Subaru took off, Flores and Bucio re-entered the vehicle, and Sanchez gave chase. Sanchez rammed the Subaru several times during the pursuit. The final impact disabled the vehicle near West 26th Avenue and Kendall Street in Lakewood. Flores exited the Malibu, entered the rear of the Subaru and assaulted one of the victims inside. The defendant hit her with his handgun while demanding she turn over her purse and cell phone. Meza and Sanchez joined the assault before Flores turned his attention to a bystander who attempted to assist the victims inside the vehicle. Flores struck the man in the face with his handgun. Bucio used his rifle to break the driver's side window of the Subaru and held another occupant at gunpoint while demanding her purse and cellphone. The defendants then reentered the Malibu and fled the scene.
Third Incident
3:15am-3:30am
West 42nd Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada, CO
Lailani Sanchez rear ended two people who were driving in the area of West 42nd Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard in Arvada. Sanchez pulled up alongside the victim's vehicle, and the defendant's yelled in their direction. Sanchez pulled in front of the victim's vehicle in an attempt to get her to stop. Sanchez struck the victim's vehicle again, so she pulled over in a parking lot. Sanchez, Meza, Flores, and Bucio exited the Malibu. Meza was holding a handgun while the other three were holding AR-15 style rifles. Flores, Bucio, and Sanchez jumped the victim who was sitting in the passenger seat. Meza ripped the driver out of the car and pistol whipped her in the face. The victim from the passenger seat was struck in the face with the butt of a gun and one of the defendants held the barrel of a rifle to his face, causing significant injury, and said give me everything you've got. The victims were eventually able to get away from the four defendants, and they fled the area.
Fourth Incident
3:34am
5250 Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada, CO
A victim called Arvada Police about a carjacking that occurred along Wadsworth Boulevard in Arvada. The victim was driving a 2017 Buick Encore that the defendants took from him at gunpoint after they used their Malibu to slam into the rear of his vehicle. The victim pulled to the side of the road and Sanchez got out of the driver's seat apologizing to the victim for losing control. Flores exited the Malibu with a gun in hand and threatened to kill the victim while pointing the gun at his face. Flores entered the Buick Encore and drove off. Sanchez re-entered the Malibu and fled the scene.
Fifth Incident
3:40am
7540 Pecos Street
(See Video)
The victims in this case were leaving a 7-Eleven in their Mercedes when the defendants blocked in their car using the stolen Buick Encore and the Chevy Malibu. Flores approached the driver's side door of the Mercedes with a handgun. Flores pointed the gun at the two victims inside. The victim in the driver's seat attempted to reverse but was blocked by the Buick Encore. Flores opened the driver's side door and struck the victim with the handgun. Bucio exited the Malibu with an AR-15 which he pointed at the victims. Flores removed the driver from the vehicle and continued to assault him, causing significant injury. Bucio also used his AR-15 and struck the victim multiple times. Flores opened the rear passenger side door and took a bag containing more than $500 in cash. Bucio and Flores returned to their vehicles and fled the scene. 20 minutes later, Adams County Deputies engaged in a pursuit with the Buick Encore that Flores was driving. Meza, who was driving the Mazda, attempted to interfere with the pursuing deputy, but eventually the vehicles stopped and Meza and Flores were apprehended. Bucio and Sanchez were apprehended at a later date.
(Warning: This video contains explicit and violent content and may be unsuitable for certain audiences)
Downloadable Version: 7-Eleven Surveillance Video
The defendants in this case all recently pleaded guilty to the charges below and were sentenced accordingly.
Lailani Sanchez
- Robbery (F4)
- 2nd-Degree Assault Strangulation (F4)
- Robbery-CSP (F5)
- Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft (F4)
- 6 Years in the Department of Corrections
- Aggravated Robbery (F3)
- 1st-Degree Assault (2 counts) (F3)
- 33 Years in the Department of Corrections
- 1st-Degree Assault (2 counts) (F3)
- Aggravated Robbery (F3)
- 25 Years in the Department of Corrections
- Robbery (F4)
- 2nd-Degree Assault Strangulation (F4)
- Robbery-CSP (F5)
- Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft (F4)
- 6 Years in the Department of Corrections
This investigation and subsequent prosecution were the result of a successful collaboration between Arvada Police, Adams County Sheriff's Office, Denver Police, Westminster Police, and the District Attorney's Office.
The prosecution was led by Senior Lead Deputy District Attorney Brittany Martin and Senior Deputy District Attorney Shannon Elwell of the Adams County District Attorney's Office in the 17th Judicial District.
# # #
District Attorney Mason assumed the oath of office on January 12, 2021. The 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office endeavors to seek justice on behalf of the citizens of Adams and Broomfield counties in felony and misdemeanor cases. DA Mason and his staff are dedicated to transforming the criminal justice system to better serve the citizens of the 17th Judicial District.