Deputy District Attorneys Win State and Regional Awards

In the final quarter of the year, two of our Deputy District Attorneys were honored for their outstanding prosecution of two recent cases. 

The first is Deputy District Attorney Brianna Bowker. She was selected as the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association Law Officer of the Year. She was chosen for her efforts in People v. Michael Lee Hester (24CR487). This was an aggravated animal cruelty case where the defendant killed several cattle in unincorporated Larimer County. 

Brianna worked closely with the Colorado brand inspector and the victims to understand the impact of these crimes. She successfully secured a resolution in which Mr. Hester pleaded guilty to six class four felonies and agreed to pay over $27,000 to compensate victims who suffered significant financial losses as a result of his actions. The wanton killing of livestock was incredibly harmful to members of our ranching community, and the Colorado Cattleman’s Association commended DDA Bowker and our DA team for the significant efforts to hold the defendant accountable for a crime that is rarely able to be prosecuted in Colorado. 

Additionally,  Deputy District Attorney Lane Bubka, our dedicated Northern Colorado Drug Task Force (NCDTF) prosecutor, was selected for Outstanding Investigation Collaboration by the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (RMHIDTA). RMHIDTA is dedicated to providing law enforcement training for the effective investigation of drug trafficking. 

DDA Bubka serves as the primary prosecutor for the NCDTF and works to prosecute those who are responsible for significant drug distribution in Larimer County. He works closely with law enforcement throughout the investigation of a case. 

As this is an open case, we cannot share many details; however, DDA Bubka worked closely with the Denver District Attorney’s office to investigate a major drug trafficking organization. This investigation team even travelled internationally to further the investigation and ensure this defendant was brought to justice. 

“I am so incredibly proud of both Brianna and Lane for their hard work in these cases,” said District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin. “Our office is made up of incredibly talented, dedicated public servants who believe in bettering our communities, and I am grateful that these organizations have recognized the work they have done going above and beyond to seek justice.”