FBI informant pleads guilty to attempted murder, questions remain

Posted: Jun 4, 2010 10:35 AM by James Jarman
Updated: Jun 4, 2010 10:35 AM

The ex-con who shot up a house with women and children inside when he was working as an FBI informant, is heading back to prison again.

Robert Rodarte pleaded guilty to attempted murder in a plea deal that lands him behind bars for 18 years. His mandatory release date is December 2028. His first shot at parole is at a hearing scheduled for September 1, 2018.

The plea deal will keep a lid on any possible answers to questions raised by News First Investigates last Fall.

A News First Investigates source close to the FBI Task Force's operation, claims that some members of the Task Force made mistakes the night of the shooting. The mistakes included, not having the proper surveillance equipment to monitor a meeting of alleged gang members "live" when the shooting was planned. Court records show that meeting happened inside a Colorado Springs hotel room paid for by the FBI Southern Colorado Safe Streets Task Force.

Court records we obtained also show Rodarte was "wearing a wire" when he shot up the house of an alleged rival gang member -- Jorge Perez.

Perez was later arrested on drug charges by the same FBI Task Force that Rodarte was working for. Court records also show Rodarte and several other alleged gang members were seeking revenge against Perez for an earlier incident, in which they claimed Perez beat up a member of the gang Rodarte was with.

The FBI and 4th Judicial District District Attorney's Office both say they can't comment on the case, until the co-defendents all get their day in court.