Week of July 6, 2026: Idaho Springs Sergeant’s Termination Related to Sexual Harassment Complaint and Retaliation

Welcome to our weekly sum-up. Every Monday we send out a short summary of the last week’s officers that have landed on Colorado’s Peace Officer Standards and Training public database of law enforcement misconduct and actions. These actions from POST are not necessarily only those that have happened in the last week, but all those that have been added, and consist of any other context we could find. Additionally are officers with otherwise obvious misconduct from around the same time.

Gabriel Lucero (CO-251-021)

• Subject of a criminal charge as an officer with the Denver Police Department
• According to court records, Lucero was issued a summons for assault in the third degree, false reporting and official misconduct on July 8 for actions stemming from May 22 just before 1 a.m. outside the XSO Nightclub on 16th Street.
• According to a Denver PD news release, Lucero assaulted someone inside the nightclub, stepped away and others assaulted the same person as well. Security, including an off-duty officer, escorted Lucero and the others out. The release continues that Lucero then identified himself as a Denver PD officer and tried to re-enter the club. As he began to leave, the off-duty officer asked for Lucero’s name and Lucero gave a false one.
• Lucero was hired by Denver PD in April 2025. They state in the release that he was on probationary status, so his employment was terminated as of July 8

Sources:

• Court Records
• Denver Police Department

Javon Leach (CO-485-405)

• According to court records, Leach was Issued a summons for reckless driving and eluding a police officer on July 8 as well, stemming from actions on June 21 just before 2 a.m. on Park Ave West and I-25
• According to the same Denver PD press release, Leach pulled out of a parking lot in the 2000 block of Larimer Street and drove against the flow of traffic. It states officers on foot tried to order him to stop, but Leach did not and a few minutes later was seen “traveling at a high rate of speed” northbound on Park Ave West. It continues that an officer tried to pull Leach over with lights and sirens, but Leach continued driving away. It is unclear if officers stopped pursuing Leach or were successfully evaded by Leach. The news release says “through the investigation” they determined it was Leach driving, and he is now working an “off-line assignment while the case makes its way through the judicial process.”
• Hired by Denver PD in May 2023

Sources:

• Court Records
• Denver Police Department

Isaac Castillo (CO-6609-8233)

• Terminated for cause as a deputy with Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on July 9
• Issued a credibility report as a deputy with Douglas County SO on July 9

Sources:

• POST Database

Thomas Lamb (CO-1738-8878)

• Arrested July 9 by Eagle County Sheriff’s Office for domestic violence-related second degree assault and kidnapping
• Formerly terminated for cause from Weld County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 28, 2023

Sources:

• POST Database
• Court Records

Isabel Dwelle (CO-711-412)

• Resigned in lieu of termination for cause as an officer with Burlington Police Department on June 10
• Neither the City of Burlington or Burlington Police Department responded to a request for relevant documents by publishing

Sources:

• POST Database

James Beuthel (CO-121-203)

• Terminated for cause as a deputy with Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on June 23
• Douglas County SO did not respond to a request for relevant documents before publishing

Sources:

• POST Database

Officer updates:

Records that must come directly from a law enforcement agency are not required to be released within three business days, as it is with CORA requests to municipalities. Sometimes an officer is added to the database later in the week, and there isn’t time for records requests to come before the newsletter has to be sent out. Sometimes the records we get back are resumes or job applications without much more information, but sometimes they are documents that do lend more important details. Whenever any of these updates come in, we’ll put them here.

Richard Sonnenberg

• Terminated for cause as a Sergeant with Idaho Springs Police Department on June 17
• Named in 2021 lawsuit against two Idaho Springs police officers for the tasing of an elderly man.
• Updates:
  • Termination letter
    • According to Sonnenberg’s termination letter, Idaho Springs PD received a compliant that he violated department policies including retaliation, supervisor responsibilities, administrative investigation procedures and a redacted reason.
    • After an investigation, the letter states that the department sustained multiple violations due to his conduct which they describe as:
      • “Making derogatory comments towards [redacted] based on [redacted]”
      • “Making defamatory remarks to [redacted]”
      • “Obtaining unauthorized access to [redacted] cell phone, sending a resignation email from [redacted] account without authorization, and later admitting that the act was a ‘prank.’”
      • And “engaging in [redacted] towards [redacted] based on [redacted].”
    • The City of Idaho Springs cited CRS 24-72-204(3)(a)(X)(A) as the reason for the redactions on the letter, which states that “The custodian shall deny the right of inspection of...Any records of sexual harassment complaints and investigations”