Weld County Republican Party Chairman Hunter Rivera was one of two people arrested from upstate. colorado allegedly attempted to purchase sexual behavior from children. They were arrested on Thursday.
The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office said investigators were posing as minors to sell sex acts on local websites and forums. Several people responded to the listing, and two of them arrived at the agreed-upon location to solicit prostitution. Deputies arrested them and booked them into the Larimer County Jail statement notes.
In addition to Rivera, the other person arrested was Ismaaeel Abdur-Rahmaan, 22, of Fort Collins. Larimer County Court issued a $7,500 cash-only bond. The statement further stated that he was charged with soliciting a child prostitute (F3), Internet luring of a child (F4), cybercrime – solicitation and arranging of an underage prostitute (F5), and attempted sexual assault of a child (F5).
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Sheriff John Feyen firmly stated “Children are not property to be bought and sold. Human beings” trafficking This is modern day slavery and we will not tolerate it in Larimer County. I hope this operation sends a strong message. No matter who you are, if you try to harm the children of our community, you will be held accountable. “
Colorado House and Senate Republicans also called on Rivera to resign, calling the accusations “disgusting, horrific and undeniable.” “There is no defence, no excuse for anyone who preys on children and there is no place in our party anywhere close to public life where this would be tolerated,” they said, adding: “There is no room for such accusations in our party.”
Here’s everything you need to know about Hunter Rivera.
Hunter Rivera: 5 things to know
- Rivera is a second-generation Weld County native. He is 24 years old and from Windsor.
- Rivera’s passion for politics and conservative leadership began in high school, when state Sen. John Cook dropped in to take a political science class there, according to a profile on the Weld County Republican Party page. He has since visited the state Capitol, cementing Rivera’s commitment to public service and the Republican Party.
- At 17, Rivera joined the Northern Colorado Young Republicans and quickly assumed a leadership role. During the 2020 election cycle, Rivera worked for Weld County Sen. Cory Gardner’s campaign while volunteering for numerous state and Senate races. Soon after, state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer hired Rivera as a legislative assistant, which helped him gain first-hand experience in policy development at the Colorado Statehouse.
- Since then, Rivera has worked for Republican leaders including Mike Lynch and Ryan Armagost. In 2022, he worked for the Colorado Republican National Committee as a field organizer for the state’s 8th Congressional District. In 2024, he served as campaign manager for State Board of Education Yazmin Navarro’s campaign, campaign manager for Ryan Gonzalez’s House District 50 campaign and chief strategist for Dan Woog’s Healing Project. Before resigning, Rivera served as national committee member of the Colorado Young Republican Federation in addition to serving as chairman of the Weld County Republican Party. According to his bio, “In these positions, he focused on expanding grassroots participation, strengthening the party’s presence and ensuring that Weld County remained a Republican stronghold.”
- Rivera faces multiple charges such as solicitation of a child prostitute (F3), Internet luring of a child (F4), cybercrime – solicitation of an underage prostitute (F5), and attempted sexual assault of a child (F5). He was given a $6,500 cash-only bond.
