An alleged theft involving over $100,000 worth of rare coins has led to felony criminal charges for a Grand Lake couple.
On June 15, deputies from the Grand County Sheriff’s Office arrested husband and wife, Paul and Kelly Asbury. Paul Asbury, 47, was charged with theft, a class three felony, and second-degree burglary, a class four felony. Kelly Asbury, 51, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit theft, a class four felony, and one count of conspiracy to commit second-degree burglary, a class five felony.
The crimes that the Asburys are alleged to have committed are related to a collection of rare coins that were stolen from the Gateway Inn in Grand Lake earlier this year. According to an arrest warrant issued for Paul Asbury, on May 24 investigators from the Grand County Sheriff’s Office were called to the Gateway Inn on reports of multiple burglaries in the Grand Lake area.
Victims informed investigators that multiple burglaries had occurred in the Grand Lake area over the previous months. Authorities keyed in on the disappearance of a collection of five bags holding rare collectable coins with an estimated value of approximately $200,000.
According to the arrest warrant, an investigation of the incident revealed multiple local eyewitness accounts that Paul Asbury had been in possession of the coins in early April. All witnesses who spoke with investigators told authorities that Asbury claimed he discovered the bags of coins in a hole in the ground.
On June 4, investigators contacted Asbury at his residence in Grand Lake. According to Asbury’s arrest warrant, Asbury initially denied having the coins but later claimed to be in possession of roughly 20 coins after recently pawning several. Asbury told investigators that his wife, Kelly Asbury, was the individual who actually pawned the coins and that the pawnshop where the coins were sold would not purchase the coins from him because he did not carry identification. Asbury produced a pawn receipt at the time of his questioning by investigators.
After producing the pawnshop receipt investigators pressed Asbury further on how many coins remained in his possession. According to the arrest warrant Asbury into a shed located on his residence and returned a short while later with several bags containing the missing coins.
On June 12, authorities executed a search warrant of the Asbury home in Grand Lake. The search of the residence revealed a bag of miscellaneous coins that included additional coins missing from the collection. A full review of the items recovered from the Asbury residence and from the Front Range pawnshop where several of the coins were sold reveals a total estimated value of $101,711.64. According to the arrest warrant the Asburys sold one gold ring and 52 rare coins to a Littleton pawnshop for a total price of $225.
Authorities did not take either of the Asburys into custody at the time the search warrant was executed. Warrants for the arrest of both Paul and Kelly Asbury were issued on June 14. The couple was arrested the following day. Kelly Asbury received her initial advisement on June 17 and bonded out of jail, on a $7,500 surety bond, on June 18. Paul Asbury remains in custody as of June 27. Court has set his bond at $15,000 cash, surety or property.
Paul Asbury is scheduled to be back in court on July 1 for a preliminary demand hearing. Kelly Asbury’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 9, for a return filing of charges.