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Denver gang leader who posted violent rap videos sentenced to 33 years

The street gang leader who orchestrated a series of drive-by shootings across the Denver metro area and glorified the violence in YouTube rap videos was sentenced Friday to serve more than three decades in prison, according to court records and the Denver District Attorney’s office. 

Phillip Baca Sr., 44, was the last of 11 members of the “Few But Plenty” gang indicted in 2022 following a sweeping investigation known as Operation Ricochet, which focused on a series of drive-by shootings that occurred between 2019 and 2022.

The DA’s Office said the gang was responsible for dozens of shootings that targeted rivals, many of which endangered or injured innocent bystanders. Baca, according to prosecutors, not only ordered the attacks but participated in at least one shooting in which more than 20 rounds were fired into a rival’s home.

The gang’s activities were documented in a 2022 grand jury indictment that followed a two-year investigation by the Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAVEN), as previously reported by Denver Gazette news partner 9NEWS. The indictment outlined 114 felony charges tied to 14 separate shootings across Denver, Lakewood, and Thornton.

Baca’s sons and nephews were among the gang members he directed to carry out the violence. Prosecutors said the group also sought notoriety through music videos posted to YouTube, which featured references to gang activity and footage of Denver landmarks and police vehicles. The videos generated nearly $13,000 in revenue.

The charges brought against Baca and 10 other defendants marked one of the city’s most significant recent criminal cases targeting organized gang violence. All 11 defendants have since pleaded guilty, according to the DA’s office.

“Phillip Baca was the leader of a ruthless criminal organization that terrorized west Denver neighborhoods.  This guilty plea and sentence – and the sentences of other Few But Plenty gang members – are powerful steps toward fighting organized crime and improving public safety for all Denver residents.  I want to acknowledge the Denver DA’s Organized Crime Unit and its prosecutors, investigators, and victim advocates, as well as the members of the Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAVEN). Their outstanding, collaborative work during a multi-year investigation led to the dismantling of this violent gang and the successful resolution of all 11 cases,” Denver District Attorney John Walsh said in a statement.

Baca was sentenced Friday in Denver District Court to 33 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections as part of a plea agreement.

Denver Gazette reporter Carol McKinley contributed to this report.

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