Low-level, nonviolent warrants cleared through 'Fresh Start' program in Jefferson County

There was a steady flow of people into the Jefferson County Courthouse on Saturday, all hoping for the chance to clear their active warrants. Fresh Start is an event that gives people with warrants for low-level, nonviolent offenses an opportunity to wipe their slate clean.  

It's the third year the First Judicial District has hosted the event and this year, the district attorney opened it to those with low-level, nonviolent felony offenses.

"Even if you've committed a low-level felony offense, want you to make the choice to reengage," said Tariq Sheikh, senior chief deputy district attorney for the First Judicial District Attorney's Office. "These aren't violent individuals these aren't career criminals, these are people that did something - may not have shown up to court one time, and now, choose to reengage on their own behalf." 

Anthony Marin didn't believe the opportunity offered through Fresh Start was real. He had a 2005 felony warrant in Jefferson County from a forgery case.  

"It seemed like a setup," Marin told CBS News Colorado, "like, 'hey, you have a warrant, why don't you come in and talk to us?'"

Marin, who has been living in Louisiana, decided he needed to give it a shot. With his father by his side, the pair jumped in their car and drove straight to the Jefferson County Courthouse.

"We made it here on time. I knew I had a short window. We made it," he said.  

It was thanks to the persistence of a Jefferson County probation officer that Marin even knew his case qualified for Fresh Start.  

"He called me and said, 'I've had your file on my desk,'" said Marin.

It took less than an hour for Marin to have his warrant resolved. Helping his case was a certificate from a sober living facility.

"This is the last thing in my life. I've taken care of every ticket I've ever had. Traffic tickets, ya know, it's all gone. I mean, that took a lot, but since I've been in sober living, I've opened up my own handyman business, which otherwise would not have ever been possible," said Marin.  

After decades of trouble, Marin finally has a clean slate.  

"You just gotta stick with it. As many times as I've wanted to give up, I'd call him [his father] and he'd be like, you know what happened last time you gave up. And like I said I think I'm trying to do this for her... for my daughter, just for the hope. She deserves to have something better," he said.  

A total of 93 people took advantage of the Fresh Start event on Saturday- the highest turnout since the program began three years ago.  

"It's not a political event, really it's everyone systemically realizing this is the right thing to do to and this is the thing we want to do to kinda help our community members get back on track," said Sheikh.  

It's a win for the community members as well as Jefferson and Gilpin counties. The judicial district has more than 28,000 active warrants.

"When people are making the choice to come in and allowing this process to take place and getting that cleared out, that means that they don't have to hit that jail spot and therefore we're able to keep them from the overcrowding problem in the jails on that front," said Sheikh.  

The county encourages anyone thinking about taking advantage of next year's event to visit its website.