A man who has held the office of police chief, fire chief and mayor simultaneously in one of Colorado’s tiniest municipalities has been indicted by a grand jury, along with his daughter, for alleged embezzlement in a family scam involving police property.
The Jefferson and Gilpin County grand jury indicted Robert Gordanier, and his daughter former Lakeside Town Clerk Brenda Renee Hamilton, on 10 counts. They include: embezzlement of public property, theft, first-degree official misconduct and impersonating a police officer, according to a news release from the First Judicial District Attorney's office.
According to the indictment, signed Monday, the father and daughter turned themselves in and were released on a $25,000 personal recognizance bonds.
Gordanier, who is presumed innocent until proven guilty, is still chief of police for the Town of Lakeside. He also serves as the Fire Department chief. Troy McCoy was promoted from commander to assistant chief Thursday. Gordanier resigned as Lakeside mayor in April 2024.
Hamilton was placed on administrative leave in November.
Steve Belarga, a former Lakeside police officer who was fired in July 2022, said it was because he spoke out about racism in the department. He alleged the Lakeside police force is steeped in nepotism.
“I would describe it as a very corrupt system,” he told The Denver Gazette from his new position in law enforcement as a Brownsville, Texas constable.
“The culture when I was there was if you weren’t with Brenda (Hamilton) or the top commanders, you weren’t part of the clique. She could do whatever she wanted,” said Belarga, who was with the department for six years before he was fired for wearing his police hat backwards, according to his civil complaint obtained by The Denver Gazette.
Belarga filed the civil rights complaint for unlawful termination and won, but did not disclose the amount of money he was awarded.
Starting in March 2018, according to the indictment, the Town of Lakeside bought cars from larger police organizations at auctions — supposedly to be used by the police department.
For instance, in April 2017 the Town of Lakeside purchased a Chevy Tahoe from the Glenwood Springs Police Department for $8,000, according to the indictment.
In September 2022, Brenda Hamilton either got the SUV for no cost or bought it for $300 in a sale approved by her father, Gordanier, court documents show.
Four months later, the indictment said that Hamilton sold the Tahoe to a private citizen for between $6,000 and $7,000.
Similar instances of property theft happened with a Ford Fusion and a Dodge Charger, according to the indictment.
Belarga said that Hamilton sold the vehicles on Facebook Marketplace.
One Lakeside officer who wished to remain anonymous put it simply: "She was acquiring them for herself and selling them to the community."
Impersonating a police officer
The document showed a June 2023 incident when Hamilton went after a man in the Lakeside Mall Walmart parking lot in a police vehicle with the lights on, though she was not a police officer.
The township of Lakeside has 17 residents, most of whom live in the 4400 block of north Sheridan. There is almost one cop per resident, as around 16 full and part-time police officers serve Lakeside — which includes Lakeside Amusement Park and the Lakeside Mall.
There are nearly 90 businesses in the town’s .2 square miles.
Belarga said that many of the calls officers respond to are for shoplifting and trespassing at businesses on the mall.
Belarga, and other former officers who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed relief that Gordanier and Hamilton were indicted and will now face criminal charges.
“When the indictment came down I was happy,” said Berlanga. “People at the force said I was lying. But everything I said was true.”
Hamilton’s first appearances is scheduled Aug. 2 in Jefferson County Court. Gordanier’s next appearance, also in Jefferson County, is scheduled for Aug. 6.
Multiple calls the Lakeside Police Department seeking comment were not returned Friday.
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