Former Garfield County Man Sentenced for Making Interstate Threats and Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

DENVER—Jamie Durell Lake, age 49, formerly of Garfield County, Colorado, was sentenced to serve 120 months (10 years) in federal prison for making an interstate threatening communication and for failing to register as a sex offender, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the FBI announced today. Lake was sentenced on April 20, 2011 by U.S. District Judge Christine M. Arguello. Following his 10-year sentence, Lake is to spend three years on supervised release, with conditions that he receive sex offender treatment and not contact the victim in the case. Lake appeared at the sentencing in custody, and was remanded at the end of the hearing.

Lake was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on June 10, 2010. He pled guilty before Judge Arguello on February 15, 2011. He was sentenced on April 20, 2011.

According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, in 1992, Lake was convicted in Wyoming of nine counts of second degree sexual assault. The conviction resulted in Lake being required to register as a sex offender. As such, the defendant was required to comply with the Sex Offender Notification and Registration Act (SORNA) by registering in any county in which he resides.

Following his release from prison, Lake registered as a sex offender in Wyoming. In the fall of 2009, Lake moved to a residence outside Parachute, Colorado, but he did not register as a sex offender, thus knowingly failing to register in Colorado as a sex offender. On October 1, 2009, the defendant showed up unexpectedly at the home of a former girlfriend. During Lake’s October 1, 2009 visit to the woman, he became angry with her and physically assaulted her. Lake was subsequently charged with strangulation and domestic assault. Following the assault, Lake returned to Colorado and began telephoning and text messaging the former girlfriend/victim. During the phone calls and text messages Lake threatened the victim and her family members if she cooperated in his prosecution.

“The severity of Mr. Lake’s sentence demonstrates the serious consequences sex offenders face if they fail to register,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh. “It also demonstrates that making a threat has criminal consequences. Thanks to the hard work of the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI, Mr. Lake will spend the next 10 years in federal prison.”

“The members of the U.S. Marshals Service, District of Colorado, are committed to the pursuit of justice and the apprehension of career criminals,” said U.S. Marshal John Kammerzell. “This case does much to demonstrate the sound investigative partnership between the U.S. Marshals Service, the United States Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other law enforcement partners. In particular, Deputy United States Marshals actively work with local peace officers in the effort to locate, apprehend, and bring fugitive sex offenders to justice.”

“Utilizing the resources and expertise of the U.S. Marshals Service, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, this joint investigation resulted in the incarceration of a repeat offender for 10 years,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge James Yacone. “When such severe cases of domestic violence expand beyond the jurisdictions of our local law enforcement partners, the FBI stands ready to help protect victims from further harm or death.”

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Lake was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Davies, who is the Chief of the Special Prosecutions Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenda Taylor, who is also in the Special Prosecution Section.