No Charges Against Former Northglenn Police Commander In Suspected Burglary
NORTHGLENN, Colo. (CBS4)- Citing "insufficient evidence" the Adams County District Attorney will not file any criminal charges against former Northglenn Police Commander Jeremy Sloan who was accused of burglarizing the home of this then-estranged wife, Jamie Matheney.
"The prosecution is unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that his entry into the home was unlawful," wrote Chief Trial Deputy Joe Pacyga in a letter dated July 11.
The District Attorney's review was prompted by a CBS4 Investigation in June that revealed an apparent burglary at the Thornton home of Sloan's estranged wife. But police quickly called it a civil issue and no charges were immediately filed.
After the CBS4 Investigation, Adams County District Attorney Dave Young said he had been unaware of the case and initiated an official review. Young said the case was not handled correctly the first time around.
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Matheney and Sloan had been married but began divorce proceedings in 2013. On February 20, 2014, Matheney said she came home and found someone had broken into the home she had shared with Sloan.
"Someone had been in the house and had burglarized the house," she said.
Matheney said she immediately suspected her estranged husband, who had recently retired from the Northglenn Police Department and had headed up the joint Northglenn/Thornton SWAT team for several years.
She called police who characterized what happened as a second-degree burglary.
Five days later, a Thornton Police Detective wrote that "I recommend this case status be changed to 'Cleared as Civil Situation.'"
Thornton police said they arrived at that conclusion on the advice of Adams County prosecutors. But Adams County prosecutors disputed that assessment.
In ultimately deciding not to pursue criminal charges against Sloan, the Adams County District Attorney's Office said "...the issue is whether he had legal permission to enter the residence and whether he had ownership rights in the property.
Because there is no documentation or evidence prohibiting Mr. Sloan from entering the residence, the prosecution is unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt this entry into the home was unlawful.
As such there is no reasonable likelihood of conviction for a burglary charge." CBS4 has previously attempted to contact Sloan by email and phone but he has not responded to multiple inquiries.
Sloan and Matheney's divorce was finalized earlier this year.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Adams Co. District Attorney Decision Letter
