Former Lakeside official pleads guilty to embezzlement in Colorado

Brenda Hamilton, the former town clerk for Lakeside, pleaded guilty Monday to one felony count of embezzlement of public property, and agreed to pay restitution to the Colorado town totaling $26,000 as part of a plea agreement. She is scheduled to be sentenced May 5.

The guilty plea stems from a CBS News Colorado investigation in September of 2023 which found Hamilton had purchased at least three cars from the town's police fleet for below-market value -- in one case just $300 -- then resold the cars and SUVs on the open market for thousands more, apparently pocketing thousands of dollars in profits.

At the time of the news report, Hamilton alternately denied wrongdoing or indicated she was unaware of what the news investigation had turned up.

Her father, Robert Gordanier, was the town's Mayor and Police Chief at the time and acknowledged what happened had all the signs of a "sweetheart deal." He admitted that he had signed bills of sale for the vehicles, but that his daughter had then filled in the details.

A Jefferson County grand jury indicted both Gordanier and his daughter in the car-flipping scheme.

For his part, Gordanier pleaded guilty in January to two counts, including embezzlement, and is serving four years probation.

Brenda Hamilton and her attorney did not respond to phone calls or messages from CBS News Colorado seeking comment on the Monday plea bargain.

Numerous other charges Hamilton was facing, including theft and official misconduct, will be dropped as part of the plea deal.

Jefferson County prosecutors said Hamilton could face anything from probation up to three years in prison when she is sentenced. 

Lakeside is a small town in Jefferson County, which is home to an amusement park and only a handful of residents.