Colorado Man Indicted for Allegedly Sabotaging Public Drinking Water System
(Denver, CO = Alex Walczak) The Colorado Attorney General’s Office and 14th Judicial District Attorney Matt Karzen announced that 65-year-old Fabrizio Lorenzin has been indicted on charges related to the alleged sabotage of a public water system serving communities along Colorado’s Front Range.
Lorenzin is accused of intentionally interfering with infrastructure operated by the Berthoud Pass Watershed Ditch, or BPWD. The ditch is part of a public water system that supplies drinking water to residents of Northglenn and Golden.
In recent years, remote-controlled water gates were allegedly opened without authorization, releasing millions of dollars’ worth of drinking water and causing substantial damage to BPWD infrastructure. The incidents, which occurred over several years, prompted a coordinated investigation involving state, federal and local authorities.
According to an indictment filed in Grand County District Court on Aug. 24, 2026, Lorenzin allegedly tampered with BPWD infrastructure on Aug. 28, 2023, causing a significant disruption to the flow of water.
The indictment also includes allegations involving the theft of water-monitoring and ditch-surveillance cameras in 2023 and 2024. The cameras had been installed to safeguard BPWD operations and protect the integrity of its infrastructure.
Lorenzin faces a Class 3 felony charge of criminal mischief involving a public water system, two felony theft charges and a Class 6 felony charge of tampering with physical evidence.
“Protecting critical water infrastructure is a core public safety responsibility,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said. “This indictment reflects our commitment to working with federal and local partners to identify threats quickly and hold those responsible accountable.”
Kelly J. Siler, acting special agent in charge for the Environmental Protection Agency, said the alleged intentional interference with drinking-water equipment placed the surrounding community at risk.
“This case highlights the importance of coordinated law enforcement when critical infrastructure is threatened,” Siler said. “The EPA remains committed to working with the Colorado Attorney General’s Office and local agencies to help ensure clean and safe water for Colorado residents.”
The charges resulted from a long-term collaborative investigation led by the EPA’s criminal investigation division, with assistance from the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, the 14th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, the Grand County Sheriff’s Office and the City of Northglenn.
An indictment is a formal accusation that a person committed a crime under Colorado law. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
