DENVER — The investigation into a moving company owner convicted of multiple counts of theft in Weld County is expanding to Arapahoe County.
Denver7 Investigates Consumer Investigator Jaclyn Allen has confirmed the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office wrote and executed a search warrant at a storage facility where Huseyn Nemat-Zoda is accused of holding clients' belongings hostage.
A spokesman for the district attorney's office said investigators searched three units at the Storage Sense, located at 8881 East Florida Ave. in Denver, in connection to Nemat-Zoda and his company, TJK Freight, following multiple complaints.
Denver7 Investigates
Moving company owner convicted of theft sentenced to 6 years in prison
Nemat-Zoda was convicted of two counts of theft in Weld County. Ann and Mark Anderson paid him thousands of dollars to move their belongings, only to have them held in storage units until police seized the units and reunited the Andersons with their property. Nemat-Zoda was sentenced to six years in prison.
"He was perpetuating the scheme, I would say, up until the time he was he was convicted," said Mark Anderson, who helped organize a group of dozens of Zoda's victims. "I'm really grateful to the Greeley PD and the Weld County DA's Office because they pursued the case. We were told that should he be convicted in our case, that probably would open the door to others to pursue charges against him."
During his sentencing hearing Thursday, Weld County prosecutors said some people still don't have their belongings.
Deputy District Attorney Daniel Skelton repeatedly referred to Denver7's reporting during the trial.
"We have a news reporter who did not let up, who believed [victims] before anyone else and showed that this defendant has been doing this exact same thing for years," said Skelton. "Without that reporting, we not we might not be here."
During the sentencing, Judge Timothy G. Kerns called Nemat-Zoda’s business practices a “surefire, tried and tested scheme to smile, shake hands and steal.”
Nemat-Zoda is facing an additional theft charge in Denver. He has a hearing slated for May 31.
