Vail police arrest former IT director Braden for assault, theft and other charges

The Town of Vail on Monday issued a press release on the arrest of former IT director Ron Braden under the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act. Braden was arrested in 2018 in Glenwood Springs on child prostitution charges and has been under investigation for other charges since then. He was arrested Saturday in Minturn, and, according to police, resisted arrest and injured two officers.

Here’s the Town of Vail press release issued Monday:

On July 4, Ron Braden, 54, the former Information Technology director for the Town of Vail, was arrested and charged with multiple crimes including violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, embezzlement of public property, theft, official misconduct, forgery and assault on a peace officer. These charges resulted from an 18-month investigation in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Vail Police Department initiated an investigation after Braden’s resignation in November 2018. Braden’s absence from the Town of Vail exposed an elaborate scheme to defraud taxpayers over a six-year period. The Vail Police Department, Fifth Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the FBI continue to investigate and turn their focus to recovering stolen funds.

Braden was arrested on the morning of July 4 near Minturn by Vail officers with an arrest warrant. In resisting arrest, Braden injured two of the three officers on scene. The officers were treated for their injuries at the scene by Eagle County Paramedic Services and released. Braden was booked into the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office Jail with a $200,000 bond.

Braden’s co-conspirator Eric E. Nastri, 55, was arrested by Vail Police detectives on July 6 at his home in Denver. Nastri was booked into the Eagle County Jail on charges of violation of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, theft, conspiracy to commit theft, forgery, money laundering and cybercrime.

Due to the scope of the investigation, the Vail Police Department requested assistance from the FBI. The FBI provided manpower and valuable investigative resources. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Vail Police Commander Ryan Kenney, 970-477-3433 or the Vail Police Department at 970-479-2200. All information can be made anonymously.