Although the 17-year-old gang member was facing time in an adult prison for his role in a 2004 shooting, he acted tough at Gilliam Youth Service Center.
But Denver police officer Danny Perez, a member of the gang unit, saw through it.
“In his cockiness, he was trying to mask how scared he was,” Perez said.
Perez believed “Art” was not a lost cause. He agreed to take him on as a project in an unusual arrangement in which he served as part role model and part probation officer. Perez’s partner, Randy Yoder, and others joined the effort.
“This is an amazing story,” said Carrie Clein, Art’s defense attorney who cut a plea deal that focused on his rehabilitation.
Three years after Perez and Yoder got involved, Art is enrolled at Adams State College in Alamosa. The Denver Post is not using Art’s full name for his safety.
On Wednesday, a group called the Citizens Appreciate Police honored Perez and Yoder for going beyond the call of duty in helping Art.
The group also recognized police Technician Ken Chavez for giving $100 to a high school student to help pay her graduation fees and Cpl. Rosemary Sapegin for helping an elderly woman she found lying on the floor in a filthy apartment get into a nursing home.
“For every controversial act we have in this city, we have thousands of stories like these,” Assistant Denver District Attorney Chuck Lepley said.
In the spring of 2004, Clein wanted an option for Art other than prison. The bright youth, who had grown up around drug dealers and alcoholics, could be redeemed if he could escape gang life, she thought.
She and prosecutor Shauna Beggan worked out an agreement in which Art’s mother had to give up custody of her son so he could move into the home of teacher Leonard Surprenant.
“He needed to sever ties with gangs,” Surprenant said. “He needed to be far enough away to stay out of trouble.”
Perez, who shared Art’s love of wrestling, was an ideal mentor, Clein said. But Art had to report to the officer every day and account for all of his time.
Known for being tough officers, Perez and Yoder were forging a new role for themselves, Surprenant said.
Perez and Yoder became father figures for Art, who had grown up without that influence, Clein said.
“It was a big commitment,” she said. “They were the glue in real shaky times.”
Perez said Art had setbacks, but he stayed away from gang members and his grades improved.
Surprenant said the creative plea deal likely saved Art’s life. He otherwise would have served four to seven years in prison for handing a gun to someone who fired it but didn’t hit anyone, he said.
Now Art wants to be an engineer.
“He’s been sentenced to college,” Surprenant said.
Staff writer Kirk Mitchell can be reached at 303-820-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com.
