A Colorado man, Joseph Beecher, was sentenced to 22 years in prison after a violent series of events in February 2022, which began with an argument and culminated in a kidnapping at a ranch recently purchased by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
A Violent Incident at Bloomberg’s Ranch
Beecher, 51, lived in Craig, Colorado, where he worked for a local employer. After an argument with his employer on February 2, 2022, Beecher burglarized the home, stealing rifles, including an AR-15. He then drove to Bloomberg’s 4,000-acre ranch near Meeker, which includes a mansion, golf course, and private river access, and rammed his vehicle through the front gate. Once inside the home, he confronted a housekeeper, threatening her at gunpoint before taking her hostage.
Beecher forced the woman into her husband’s truck, and the two traveled to Denver and later to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Authorities quickly issued an alert, and the situation escalated. Later that night, a SWAT team surrounded a hotel in Cheyenne, where Beecher was found and arrested after a fire was reported in another room. The woman was rescued, and Beecher was taken into custody with the stolen firearms.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Beecher underwent a mental health evaluation, and despite being deemed competent to stand trial, he chose to represent himself. He was convicted on charges of kidnapping, carjacking, and transporting stolen firearms, with an additional sentence for using a weapon during the commission of a crime.
In court, Beecher was sentenced to 15 years for each of the kidnapping, carjacking, and firearms charges, which will run concurrently. He also received seven additional years for the use of a firearm in a violent crime. Beecher was ordered to pay over $5,000 in restitution and face five years of supervised probation after his release.
For more details on this incident, visit apnews.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates.
