Willie Clark, one of three men police sources say is connected to the death of Broncos player Darrent Williams, was released on parole Thursday morning.
Clark, 24, was arrested four days after the New Year’s Day drive-by shooting and sent to state prison for violating his parole on a 2002 conviction for motor-vehicle theft.
Sources have told The Denver Post that Clark was one of three gang members inside a white Chevrolet Tahoe that was used in the shooting that killed the 24-year-old cornerback.
Katherine Sanguinetti, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Corrections, said Clark is wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet and was paroled in Denver.
But 9News reported that Clark was immediately turned over to federal authorities Thursday morning on a sealed indictment related to a multijurisdictional crack-cocaine dealing investigation.
However, Sanguinetti said the Department of Corrections would have been notified if Clark had been picked up by federal agents because he is being monitored by an ankle bracelet.
Asked if the U.S. attorney would have notified the DOC, Sanguinetti said “absolutely.”
Jeff Dorschner, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office, said he could not comment when contacted Thursday.
Vernon Edwards, 29, and Daniel Harris, 36, who police sources have said were in the SUV the night Williams was killed, have been indicted and arrested on unrelated federal drug charges.
Clark was serving his time at Cheyenne Mountain Re-entry Center, but had recently been transferred to the Denver Reception Diagnostic Center, Sanguinetti said.
The terms of Clark’s parole prevent him from staying out after 10 p.m. or associating with known felons. He is also required to provide two urine samples a week to screen for drugs and alcohol, Sanguinetti said.
A little more than six months have passed since Williams was killed while riding in a limousine in downtown Denver. Police have not formally announced any suspects or arrests in the homicide.
Williams and his friends had just left the Shelter nightclub at 1037 Broadway, where several Broncos and Nuggets basketball players were sponsoring a party.
Witnesses and Williams’ family members have said an argument broke out between two groups of men as Williams was leaving the club.
A short time later, he was shot in the neck as he rode in the limo at West 11th Avenue and Speer Boulevard.
Staff writer Felisa Cardona can be reached at 303-954-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com.
