Man faces charges of tampering with public water system on Colorado's Berthoud Pass

A 65-year-old man is facing four felony counts for allegedly tampering with a water system on Berthoud Pass that delivers drinking water to some Front Range communities. The Colorado Attorney General's Office and 14th Judicial District Attorney Matt Karzen announced the charges against Fabrizio Lorenzin on Friday.

The case of what was described as eco-terrorism dates back nearly seven years and had a major impact on the cities of Northglenn and Golden.

The investigation started in August 2019 when sabotage events occurred high in the mountains of Grand County.

Several years later, in 2022, similar events took place. Repeated damage was done to a canal and water gates at the Berthoud Pass Watershed Ditch. The damage at that time cost over $50,000 to fix.

Trail cameras caught images of an unidentified man in that area after more than $1 million in water was found to have been redirected by the vandal. That water was supposed to wind up at residents' homes.

After crews from Northglenn installed surveillance cameras to try and find the culprit, the same description and backpack worn by the apparent suspect kept showing up.

Then the cameras themselves were stolen.

In 2024, a camera was able to capture an image of a license plate on a car the suspect drove, but it would be two more years before the arrest warrant was issued for Lorenzin.

The city of Northglenn issued a statement after Lorenzin's arrest saying the city's "ability to protect its water supply infrastructure is critical to the health and safety of our community."

Lorenzin faces charges of tampering with a public water system, theft and tampering with physical evidence. He's expected back in court next week.

Attorney General Phil Weiser said in a prepared statement that the state is "firmly committed to enforcing the state's Safe Drinking Water Act and ensuring the security of its public water systems."

"Protecting critical water infrastructure is a core public safety mission," he said. "This prosecution reflects our commitment to working side by side with federal and local partners to identify threats quickly and ensure those responsible are held accountable."