A Colorado man has received a 22-year sentence this week after a conviction on multiple charges, including kidnapping an employee from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's ranch. Joseph Beecher, 51, of Craig, Colorado, faced U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson, who handed down the sentence of 264 months in federal prison with a subsequent five years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Following a three-day trial that concluded with a verdict of guilty on Aug. 28, Beecher's conviction encompassed charges of kidnapping, carjacking, and the transportation of stolen firearms. Fueled by an intent to kill Mr. Bloomberg after losing his job earlier that day, Beecher, having stolen two firearms including a Bushmaster AR-style rifle, diverted his plan towards the employee when he couldn't locate Bloomberg at the property.
The incident began in the early hours of Feb. 2, 2022, when Beecher took a female employee hostage at gunpoint and forced her to drive him in search of another potential victim, a media mogul in Colorado. His unsuccessful attempt led him to the Stage Coach Motel in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where, after a short rest, law enforcement officers arrested him, rescuing the unharmed woman. Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Vierbuchen, who prosecuted the case, revealed these details during the trial.
Beecher, who was indicted on March 17 and pleaded not guilty on March 21, 2022, saw an investigative effort that pooled resources from the FBI, Cheyenne Police Department, Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, and the Craig Police Department. This case is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, aiming to reduce violent crime and promote safer communities, highlighting the importance of federal and local collaboration.
