FOUNTAIN, Colo. — A Fountain Councilmember has resigned after being charged with public assistance fraud.
According to our news partners at The Gazette, Detra Duncan was been charged with theft relating to more than $37,000 in public assistance dating back to 2016.
Duncan released the following statement regarding her resignation:
“It is with deep reflection and a heavy heart that I submit my resignation as a member of the Fountain City Council, effective September 16, 2025.
While I firmly believe in the integrity of my service and my commitment to the residents of Fountain, I also recognize that recent circumstances have cast a shadow over my ability to serve effectively. The people of our community deserve leadership that can govern without distraction or doubt.
My decision to step down is not an admission of wrongdoing but rather an acknowledgment that the work of this Council, and the trust of the public, must come before any individual. I care deeply about our city, and I do not wish for ongoing questions surrounding me to diminish the important initiatives we have advanced together.
I am proud of the progress we have made during my tenure, particularly in advocating for affordable housing, supporting of our Military, advocating for clean water, the Fountain Youth Council, legislative issues protecting the citizens of Fountain, water issues and so much more. I have full confidence that this Council will continue to move forward with integrity, vision, and dedication to the people we serve.
I remain grateful to the residents who placed their trust in me, to my colleagues for their collaboration, and to city staff for their professionalism. Though I am resigning from office, my commitment to Fountain and its future remains steadfast.”
In a probable cause affidavit filed in Fourth Judicial District Court in June, investigators with the Department of Human Services allege that Duncan falsified applications to qualify for food assistance, Medicaid and other benefits for herself and her child, while concealing her position as an elected official.
Duncan has not replied to a request for comment, referring questions to her attorney who has not responded to the inquiry.
The affidavit includes investigation materials from El Paso County and Jefferson County DHS. The affidavit alleges Duncan used white-out to conceal her employment with the city of Fountain as an elected official on pay stubs submitted for benefits.
She instead allegedly represented her $300 per month salary as payment for cleaning services as a custodian with the city of Fountain. The original pay stubs listed Duncan as an elected official, the affidavit alleges.
The affidavit alleges Duncan forged documents to misrepresent her living situation, telling DHS she was the caregiver for two disabled family members, Duncan’s mother and uncle, who she said lived upstairs in her Fountain home.
DHS investigators say the two family members had died by the time Duncan submitted letters she claimed had been written by them verifying their residency and Duncan as their caregiver.
The affidavit also claims the two family members never lived in Colorado and were instead lifelong residents of Louisiana. Duncan's mother died in 1998 and her uncle died in 2019, according to the affidavit.
According to the affidavit, Duncan also concealed the existence of her husband, Larry Duncan, in her assistance paperwork. DHS investigators claim interviews with neighbors verified that Duncan’s husband lived at the same address.
The affidavit said Duncan claimed that the Larry Duncan whose name is listed on the ownership paperwork for her home was a disabled nephew who lives in Louisiana.
Larry Duncan’s income from work at the U.S. Postal Service and veterans’ benefits would have disqualified the household from the public assistance Duncan received, the affidavit states.
Duncan was reelected to the Fountain City Council in 2023. Last year, she was the Democratic candidate for El Paso County Commission District 4, losing to Cory Applegate, who also served on Fountain City Council.
The city of Fountain said in a statement that it does not comment on any ongoing litigation.
Duncan's next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 28.
The Gazette's Savannah Eller contributed to this web story.
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