Denver Police arrested former bar owner Jay Bianchi last month, accusing him of multiple counts of sexual assault.
Now, the District Attorney’s office has charged him with six felony counts for sexual assault, along with three misdemeanor counts of unlawful sexual contact, according to the Denver Police Department.
The charges stem from alleged incidents in 2020 and 2024.
“Through this ongoing investigation, Denver Police investigators have received information indicating there may have been additional incidents involving Bianchi and victims who have not reported the information to police,” the department noted in a statement. “Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Jay Bianchi is encouraged to call the Denver Police Sex Crimes Unit at 720-913-6040.”
Bianchi once owned Sancho’s Broken Arrow, Be on Key Psychedelic Ripple, and So Many Roads, among many other now-shuttered venues.
Be on Key Psychedelic Ripple caught fire in 2020.
Sancho’s Broken Arrow, no longer in the hands of Bianchi, closed for good in late 2022 as part of a settlement with the city after Denver revoked its liquor license following a discovery of cocaine dealing at the bar.
So Many Roads Brewery, most recently owned by Bianchi’s former business partner Tyler Bishop, faced multiple police stings and was shut down by the city multiple times. Now, the venue has shuttered for good.
Bianchi’s faced allegations of violence and sexual assault for years.
In 2017, Bianchi acknowledged punching a musician who had been playing one of his clubs. He was also accused of attacking his staff, Westword reported.
Detailed reports surfaced in 2021 in the The Denver Post about multiple allegations of sexual assault and harassment.
After allegations that he sexually assaulted workers in his clubs surfaced, the Colorado Musician’s Union picketed his venues, as Westword reported. At the time, Bianchi denied the allegations.
Denver Police have said they have been investigating the reports since 2021, and The Denver Post has reported critics have raised concerns that the investigation took so long.
