A Cheyenne man and Colorado teen whose criminal exploits were tracked on social media have been sentenced to prison in connection with a violent carjacking in Cheyenne last year.
Oscar Alfredo Ortiz, 20, of Cheyenne, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release, while Jacob Nathaniel Hopkins Trigg, 19, of Colorado, was sentenced to nine years in prison and five years of supervised release in connection with the April incident.
They were each ordered to pay $5,089 in restitution and $200 in special assessment fees.
Last April, a man driving in southwest Cheyenne encountered Ortiz and Trigg while they were standing on the roadway.
After the victim stopped to help the men, Ortiz brandished a rifle and demanded the victim turn over control of his vehicle. Trigg pointed a handgun at the victim and demanded he empty his pockets. The two then ordered the man out of the car at gunpoint and fled in the vehicle.
The next day, the car was found in Longmont, Colorado. Witnesses saw the two men and a woman dump the vehicle and cover it with a tarp, an action also recorded by video cameras in the area.
Meanwhile, officers in Longmont were tracking the duo on social media and found several posts related to their crime spree, which also included a high-speed chase on Interstate 70 near Evergreen, Colorado.
The Colorado State Patrol ultimately stopped pursuing the vehicle after speeds reach more than 96 miles per hour in a heavy traffic area.
The FBI ultimately arrested the two following a search warrant of Ortiz’ Cheyenne home, where the firearms were also located. Both firearms were traced to the two men.
“I want to send a clear message to would-be carjackers: Committing a senseless act of violence like carjacking will earn you a home in federal prison for a long time,” said Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray. “This office and our law enforcement partners will always fight for crime victims and do our job to hold accountable violent criminals.”
The case was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department, F.B.I., the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and Longmont Police Department in Colorado.
“Today’s sentence highlights the successful collaboration between the FBI’s Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, Cheyenne Police Department, Longmont Police Department, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The CPD’s integration into the RMSSTF directly impacted the efficiency of the investigation,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. “We work diligently with our partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute violent criminals such as Trigg and Ortiz to protect the public and keep our communities safe. FBI Denver is grateful for all our task force participants as these strong partnerships continue to bring justice to those who commit violent crimes.”