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Police chief Robert Gordanier and town clerk Brenda Hamilton, who are father and daughter, are both facing charges.
LAKESIDE, Colorado — A grand jury has indicted two Lakeside town leaders on embezzlement and theft charges, prosecutors in Jefferson County said Thursday.
Police chief Robert Gordanier and town clerk Brenda Hamilton, who are father and daughter, are both facing charges for alleged crimes committed between July 2019 and November 2023.
Prosecutors said Gordanier was mayor, chief of police and fire department chief in Lakeside, a tiny town wedged between Denver and Wheat Ridge. He resigned as mayor in April 2024, but kept his role as police chief, prosecutors said. Hamilton was placed on administrative leave in November 2023.
According to prosecutors, on three separate occasions, Hamilton bought police vehicles from the town at well below market value, then sold them, earning thousands of dollars in profit.
The first time this happened was in July 2021, when Hamilton purchased a Dodge Charger from the town for $500, prosecutors said. The fair market value of the car was $8,588, prosecutors said. It was later sold to a third party.
The second purchase happened in 2021, prosecutors said. In September, the town bought a Ford Fusion from the Arapahoe County sheriff’s office at a discount.
“The price was below fair market value and was specially offered by Arapahoe County to assist the smaller Lakeside Police Department,” prosecutors said in a news release.
Three months later, prosecutors said, Hamilton bought the car from the town for $1,000. It was later sold to a third party for $12,000.
In September 2022, prosecutors said, Hamilton was either given, or bought for $300, a Chevrolet Tahoe that belonged to the town. She then sold the Tahoe to a third party for between $6,000 and $7,000, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Gordanier approved all three purchases.
Prosecutors also allege Hamilton used a town credit card to buy items for herself at Costco. In total, Hamilton spent $494.61 of Town of Lakeside funds on unauthorized purchases at Costco, prosecutors said.
According to prosecutors, Hamilton is also accused of trying to pull someone over while driving a police vehicle in the Lakeside Walmart parking lot in July 2023.
Prosecutors said the grand jury investigation was opened in November 2023, after a local news outlet reported on allegations of misconduct.
9NEWS reached out to Lakeside city leaders for comment Thursday evening but did not hear back.
Gordanier faces the following charges:
- Three counts of embezzlement of public property
- One count of theft
- Three counts of first-degree official misconduct
Hamilton faces the following charges:
- Four counts of embezzlement of public property
- One count of theft
- One count of impersonating a peace officer
- Four counts of first-degree official misconduct
Prosecutors said both suspects turned themselves in to the Jefferson County jail this week. They were each released on personal recognizance bonds.
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