Five Questions with David N. Karpel

10,000 Miles a Month

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis appointed ​David N. Karpel (Bus’81) district court judge for Colorado’s 18th Judicial District on Jan. 10, 2023. Prior to his appointment, he was a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice in the criminal division’s organized crime and gang section. Karpel served 30 years in the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps and retired in 2019 with the rank of captain. 

What was your responsibility as a federal prosecutor? 

My charge was to disrupt and dismantle the most significant regional, national and international gangs and organized crime groups. These cases involved utilizing a broad spectrum of federal criminal statutes, including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO)/Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR), extortion, murder, money laundering, narcotics and weapons offenses.   

What case are you most proud of as a prosecutor? 

I was the lead prosecutor in the six-year effort that led to the conviction and dismantling of 73 Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT) leaders and violent offenders. My team was composed of federal agents and local law enforcement including several Texas Rangers. This was the first time the RICO/VICAR statutes were used to indict a prison-based gang. All 73 ABT defendants were convicted.  

What led you to work in Mexico City? 

As one of four federal prosecutors, we were assigned to investigate and prosecute members of the Los Zetas cartel for the murder of U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) special agent Jamie Zapata and wounding of ICE special agent Victor Avila during an attempted carjacking in Mexico. In 2011, I worked out of the U.S. Embassy for almost a year developing the case and pursuing evidentiary leads. Five defendants pled guilty and cooperated; two were convicted at trial and sentenced to life imprisonment.

How much did you travel as a federal prosecutor? 

During my 10 years, I traveled on average 10,000 miles a month. My travels took me from Washington, D.C., to Alaska, New York, Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Nevada, among other states, and overseas. I appeared in federal district courts around the country prosecuting white-supremacist, prison-based gangs.

What excites you about your new district judicial court position? 

It’s a genuine honor to return to Arapahoe Country and Aurora, where I was born and raised. I will do my best daily to serve my fellow citizens while treating them with respect and providing justice for all.