Man accused of ID theft tried to surrender, turned away

DENVER - For the second time in the same case, law enforcement in Denver turned away a key component in hundreds of instances of identity theft. The first time, it was a box full of stolen documents found in a storage unit, turned away by a Denver Police officer. This time, it was the main suspect, turned away by the Denver Sheriff's Department.

The Denver Sheriff's Department admits the man believed to be at the center of an identity theft operation, 46-year-old Paul Simmons, tried to turn himself in at the Denver City Jail 16 hours before police arrested him.

A warrant had been issued for his arrest and was entered into the system at 10:15 a.m, according to Sonny Jackson, Denver Police Spokesman.

Sheriff's spokesperson Capt. Frank Gale told 9Wants to Know Tuesday that Simmons walked into the Denver City Jail around 8 p.m. Monday night.

The Denver Sheriff's Department runs the city jail. It is not staffed by the Denver Police Department.

Gale says Simmons told a sheriff's deputy he had received a call from an investigator with Denver Police saying he was wanted for questioning in connection with the identity theft case featured on 9NEWS.

Gale says the sheriff's deputy then told Simmons there was not a record of him being wanted in the computer, but sent Simmons to check in with the Denver Police Department housed in a separate building across the courtyard at 1331 Cherokee St. Gale said the deputy did not know if Simmons ever made it to the Denver Police building.

Denver Police spokesperson Sonny Jackson said Simmons never did.

"We really wish he would have taken the 50 steps across the courtyard and talked to us, that would have saved us a lot of time today." Jackson said. "If he [Simmons] really wanted to turn himself in we would have been more than happy to take him into custody."

The Denver Police Department fugitive Task Force arrested Simmons at a friend's home in Lakewood around noon on Tuesday on charges of identity theft, forgery and using instruments of forgery. He was taken into custody by undercover officers. 9NEWS is masking their faces to protect their undercover identities.

He's now being held at the Denver City Jail on a $10,000 bond. It is the same facility where he failed to successfully turn himself in the night before.

"I wanted to turn myself in," Simmons said in an interview with 9Wants to Know Investigative Reporter Deborah Sherman from the Denver City Jail Tuesday afternoon. "I was here last night."

Simmons' arrest followed the arrest of Dawn Philbin, 51, of Lakewood on Monday around 7 p.m. Philbin posted $5,000 bond on charges of identity theft. Police would not release her picture pending a photo lineup. She could not be reached for comment.

Philbin is accused of stealing the hospital records of at least 150 patients at St. Anthony Central Hospital who went into the emergency room or had scheduled surgeries. Hospital administrators fired Philbin after 5-years on the job they say after she admitted to the thefts.

During the interview with 9NEWS on Tuesday, Simmons claimed he is innocent.

"I haven't done anything wrong to anybody out there," he said. "I'm serious, you will not find anything I've done or had anything done in any manner."

9Wants to Know first learned of the identity theft cases after stolen documents were found in a storage unit in Denver. Brandon Michael bid and won the auction for the contents.
Joe Scott of Anytime Access Storage said he put the storage unit up for auction because Simmons had failed to pay his rent. During his interview on Tuesday, Simmons told 9NEWS he could no longer afford the rent because he is homeless.

Michael found piles of fake and real documents, hospital records, counterfeiting equipment and drugs and drug paraphernalia inside the storage unit. The documents, including real and fake driver's licenses, Social Security cards and birth certificates, were stolen out of homes, hotel rooms, cars or St. Anthony Central over the last three years.

Michael initially took them to Denver Police District 4. However, an officer at the front desk told him the police didn't want them and to throw the documents away.

Michael then brought the documents to 9Wants to Know, which investigated the operation.

A spokesman for Denver Police says an internal investigation is now underway into the actions of the officer who was at the front desk.

Simmons blames the identity theft operation on a "friend" who he claims was using the driver's licenses found in the storage unit to buy over-the-counter medications used to make methamphetamines.

He told 9NEWS each license allowed those involved in the operation to buy more medication to make more meth. Over-the-counter cold medications are used to make methamphetamines.

Simmons owns Pro Painters & Company. He has a lengthy arrest and conviction record in Colorado and Florida for crimes ranging from grand theft to burglary to dealing in stolen documents.

St. Anthony Central is offering a free identity theft protection service to its patients involved in the thefts. The hospital has also put new audits in place to better monitor patient information.

If you have any additional information about this story or want to report another story, please e-mail Deborah.Sherman@9NEWS.com.