A former worker of a Colorado sheriff’s workplace pretended to be a U.S. marshal, kidnapped a Vermont man and killed him as a part of a convoluted, multi-state murder-for-hire plot, federal prosecutors allege.
The previous Costilla County Sheriff’s Workplace worker, 34-year-old Jerry Banks, pleaded not responsible to a kidnapping cost Thursday in Vermont’s federal court docket as investigators proceed to arrest extra individuals in connection to the 2018 killing of Gregory Davis, 49.
Prosecutors haven't charged Banks with homicide, however said in a information launch that they imagine Banks killed Davis.
Banks was licensed by Colorado’s Peace Officer Requirements and Coaching Board and labored for the Costilla County Sheriff’s Workplace between Aug. 15, 2017, and Feb. 14, 2018, POST data present.
Davis, a father of six, was killed Jan. 6, 2018.
A clerk with the sheriff’s workplace who declined to present her final identify mentioned that Banks labored within the detention heart. She didn’t know what date he stopped working there, however mentioned he known as at some point and mentioned he wasn’t coming in anymore. Banks’ arrest affidavit states he held a part-time job with the company.
The sheriff’s workplace didn't reply to a follow-up e-mail Thursday requesting extra details about Banks’ position on the company and the dates of his employment.
Courtroom paperwork in three prison circumstances define the net of people who related Banks to his alleged sufferer and the years of legislation enforcement investigation that tied the alleged conspirators collectively.
“Between 2018 and 2022, the federal government investigation remained covert,” a court docket submitting states. “The co-conspirators… doubtless thought that they'd gotten away with the homicide. In April 2022, the federal government selected to take overt steps.”
FBI brokers arrested Banks on April 6 in Yellowstone Nationwide Park, the place he was working. Every week later, brokers arrested Aron Ethridge, of Las Vegas, whom prosecutors allege related Banks to the highly effective businessmen ordering the killing. On Might 24, federal legislation enforcement arrested these businessmen — Serhat Gumrukcu, 39, of Los Angeles, and Berk Eratay, 35, of Las Vegas — on racketeering fees alleging they conspired to have Davis killed.
Earlier than his demise, Davis had been threatening to go to the FBI with allegations that Gumrukcu had defrauded him in a 2015 multimillion-dollar oil deal, prosecutors wrote in court docket filings. Gumrukcu had a “sturdy motive” to forestall Davis from reporting the fraud as a result of he was placing collectively a enterprise deal involving a biotech firm, Enochian Bioscience. Gumrukcu’s inventory within the firm is value about $100 million, prosecutors imagine.
Banks was buddies with Ethridge, who was buddies with Eratay, who labored for Gumrukcu, in keeping with prosecutors’ court docket filings.
Davis’ spouse and 12-year-old son informed investigators that a man wearing a U.S. marshal’s uniform knocked on the door of their house in Danville, Vermont, the evening of Jan. 6, 2018, and mentioned that Davis was below arrest on racketeering fees, in keeping with Banks’ arrest affidavit. Davis left with the person, who had a rifle and handcuffs and drove a white automotive with emergency lights activated on the sprint.
Police discovered Davis’ physique the subsequent day. Davis had been shot a number of occasions and left handcuffed in a snowbank about 15 miles from his house.
In Ethridge’s indictment, prosecutors allege Banks known as Ethridge the day after the killing and mentioned Davis had been kidnapped and killed. Ethridge admitted to investigators that he employed Banks to kill Davis on behalf of Eratay and Gumrukcu, court docket filings present.
Investigators related Banks to Davis’ demise by tracing a suspicious cellphone name to 911 that he made on a burner cellphone within the neighborhood of Davis’ house the evening of the killing. Investigators then tracked a collection of telephones as they moved throughout the nation from Monte Vista, Colorado, to Danville, Vermont, and related them to Banks.
Proof from Google obtained by means of a search warrant confirmed that an individual utilizing Banks’ e-mail tackle made Google searches for police automobiles on the market, police spotlights and physique armor. They discovered receipts in his e-mail for purchases of emergency lights, an vintage U.S. marshal badge and shoulder patches, a police highlight and physique armor.
Investigators confirmed that Banks bought a white Ford Explorer in November 2017 after which returned it on Jan. 24, 2018. In addition they found that Banks was stopped by a Kansas Freeway Patrol tooper on Jan. 8, 2018, on westbound Interstate 70 for a lane violation. The trooper described Banks as “extraordinarily nervous” and mentioned that the Ford Explorer contained a number of legislation enforcement objects, like a gun and a tactical vest.
Investigators discovered that Banks grew to become all of the sudden flush with money in late 2017, regardless of making lower than $500 per week from the sheriff’s workplace.
Banks has no different employment historical past with Colorado legislation enforcement businesses, state data present. His legislation enforcement certification is expired.
He remained in custody Thursday and his court-appointed protection attorneys didn't instantly return an e-mail requesting remark.
All 4 males charged within the plot face a potential cost of life in jail if convicted. Gumrukcu and Eratay may additionally face the demise penalty.