DENVER — In the wake of a recent Denver7 Investigates report, a Denver woman says she's now living in fear because a man who she says victimized her was set free on a personal recognizance bond.
“When I turned my head, I said, “Oh my god!’ I said, No, no, please no,’” said the woman, who asked Denver7 to not disclose her name or show her image because she fears for her safety.
Court documents and details provided by the Denver woman detail an incident that happened when she visited a fast-food restaurant in October.
“I saw him masturbating,” she said. “It was really gross, really creepy.”
According to her statements and court documents, the incident took place at a Wendy’s restaurant on the corner of East Colfax Avenue and Emerson Street in Denver. The victim says after the incident happened, she broke down in tears about two blocks from the fast-food restaurant and later called police to report what happened.
The arrest warrant obtained by Denver7 Investigates details how police connected Redmond Ogden with two other allegations of indecent exposure. One incident occurred just five hours before the incident at the Wendy’s. A second victim reported to police that a man, later identified as Ogden, exposed himself on an RTD bus. She recorded the incident on her cell phone camera and provided it to police.
A third incident detailed in the arrest warrant affidavit occurred in March where Ogden is accused of exposing himself while walking in a Denver crosswalk.
Following her report from the Wendy's incident, the victim said police called her in and she picked Ogden, 34, out of a line up.
“I don’t want him to see my face. It’s like, I’m really scared," she said, explaining why she wanted to remain anonymous. “I wrote a letter to the judge saying I don’t think it’s fair you are letting him out on a PR bond.”
She said the decision by a magistrate to grant a PR bond to Ogden was “sad” and “unfair.”
A PR bond means the accused criminal signs a document and is released from jail without have to put up any money to get out, but giving their word that they will return to court for future hearings.
Denver7 Investigates also obtained the recording of Ogden’s court hearing where he was granted the PR bond. Ogden’s public defender said in the hearing she felt a PR bond was still appropriate, despite the charges.
The prosecutor for the Denver District Attorney’s office countered by asking for a monetary bond, citing the frequency of the incidents and noting that one of the victims wrote a letter to the court asking for a high bond.
Denver7 Investigates also discovered Ogden’s criminal record from California that shows seven charges for lewd conduct and sexual battery from August of this year.
After hearing arguments from the public defender and the prosecutor, the Denver magistrate said she found Ogden’s alleged behavior alarming. However, she did decide to grant him a PR bond.
“Its extremely frustrating,” Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen said in reaction to the magistrate's decision. “It’s frustrating in this particular case and it continues to be frustrating because I see all too many examples exactly like this.”
An analysis of court data from Jan. 1 until Sept. 8, 2021, found 17 cases of indecent exposure were granted a PR bond or a $1 bond in Denver. The review found another 12 felony cases of sexual assault or sexual contact in Denver also received a PR bond.
Earlier this year, Denver7 Investigates reviewed court files and discovered judges and magistrates had issued PR bonds to 3,690 accused criminals. Records showed those individuals were accused of committing nearly 8,000 felony crimes in Denver.
The data review also discovered that 32% of those 3,690 accused criminals failed to appear for future court hearing after getting a PR bond and promising to return.
“The numbers are shocking,” Pazen said. “It reveals a significant challenge we face, and we have to do something about it.”
Pazen’s concern was echoed by the woman who reached out to Denver7.
“The legal system, I thought they were supposed to serve and protect,” she said. “They’re serving, but they’re not protecting.”
Denver7 Investigates reached out to the Wendy’s corporate office, requesting an on-camera interview to respond to the accusations raised by the victim. Wendy’s declined, but did say the franchisee at the location did cooperate with law enforcement and that the suspect no longer works for Wendy’s.
