Dani Rae Montoya was once named Public Enemy No. 1 by the Salt Lake Metro Gang Unit. In 2008, when she was 18 years old, she was the valley’s biggest gang target. Fast forward to 2022, and the now 32-year-old woman, a member of the violent Hispanic street gang, Varrio Loco Town “VLT” is again on the Metro Gang Unit’s ten most wanted list.
“So incredibly unusual for a female to show up on here but here she is,” says Sergeant Melody Cutler with the Unified Police Department.
The many faces of Dani Rae Montoya are compiled from inmate photos the Utah Department of Corrections provided to 2News Investigates. The offender photos begin in the fall of 2008 and end in the summer of 2021. Montoya, petite in stature has a violent criminal history spanning almost two decades. She has convictions for robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and drugs.
A parole hearing recording from March 26, 2009, goes into detail about her gang lifestyle and she didn’t hold back about her crimes.
Hearing Officer Jan Nicol:
On September 13, 2007, you and your co-defendant were wearing green bandanas when you entered the victim’s home and held a gun to her head demanding she open her safe. You threatened to kill her if she did not cooperate or call the police.
Montoya admitted she didn’t personally know the woman but knew of her and had been to her house with another associate.
Dani Rae Montoya:
We didn’t want to go buy some more dope, so we stuck her up for to get more drugs.
Whether the woman lived or died, was up to Montoya.
Hearing Officer Jan Nicol:
What role did you have in this with your co-defendant what part did you play?
Dani Rae Montoya: I was the one who held the gun.
The recording also reveals Montoya grew up as a member of Varrio Loco Town, or “VLT” a Hispanic gang that was formed in Salt Lake in the Glendale neighborhood in the late 1980’s. The gang’s color is green.
Montoya was asked what prompted her to participate in the robbery.
Hearing Officer Jan Nicol:
It was more or less a gang activity?
Dani Rae Montoya: Yeah.
On May 19, 2008, Montoya stabbed a 17-year-old girl during a dispute over a parking space outside a cell phone store at 1645 W. 700 North according to court records. That dispute led to a road rage incident prior to the attack on the girl. Montoya tried to explain to parole board hearing officer Jan Nicol how this all unfolded.
Dani Rae Montoya:
At the time when I did stab her, I didn’t know she was pregnant.
Dani Rae Montoya:
I know what I did, and I deserved to be punished for it.
Dani Rae Montoya:
My mom was taken from me when I was a little girl, and I had no right to try to take someone else’s life.
During that same parole hearing, the victim’s mother spoke.
Victim's mother:
They were driving really crazy up 600 North and to the point they were trying to road rage me off the road.
And then she described the brutal attack on her daughter.
Victim's mother:
My daughter was 7-months pregnant, and she did go towards her with this knife towards the stomach and as Nicolette leaned down, she stabbed her, and it was three inches from the top of her lung.
She also made it crystal clear to hearing officer Nicol that the Varrio Loco Town on the outside were working to intimidate their family while Montoya was incarcerated.
Victim's mother:
We’ve had run-ins with the VLT which she hangs out with, gang life that has approached my vehicle with the men since this.
Victim's mother:
I don’t feel myself to give her that respect to say that you know what, I will take her forgiveness, because she almost took my granddaughter and my daughter from me.
Montoya told the hearing officer that her father’s side of the family was heavily involved in gangs, and she strived to emulate her uncles. She said her grandmother, a probation officer would not show her love because she had no tolerance for her criminal ways. So, she sought out the other side of the family after she said her mother was murdered.
Dani Rae Montoya:
I’m not gonna blame it all on the drugs and alcohol, part of it was me trying to prove a point, to my gang that I deserved to be part of 'em.
She went on to say she was locked down in supermax 23-hours a day because she had an extensive juvenile record.
The victim’s mother had this to say to her:
Victim’s mother:
Dani Rae is very, a young little girl, ok she’s very young and you know what I hope if anything she gets out of this prison a turnaround of for her life for the better.
However, she also said:
Victim’s mother:
“I live with this every day that she did not take my daughter’s life or my grandchild’s life.”
Victim’s mother:
I actually brought the baby here for you to see, you know the, the child that I almost lost right here.
Another parole hearing, called a rehearing was held on May 8, 2012. That recording obtained by 2News Investigates reveals Montoya could not follow the rules on the inside.
Dani Rae Montoya:
I just want a chance basically you know.
Dani Rae Montoya:
I know I don't deserve to get out tomorrow.
I've done what I've done.
Dani Rae Montoya:
I thought I was invincible I thought I could do what I wanted when I wanted.
Then the hearing officer made it clear she’d better change her ways.
Hearing officer:
There's some dismay of the fact that you still haven't kind of figured out how to march to the rules and to do the things that are expected of you.
Dani Rae Montoya:
Most of my disciplinaries have to do with having a girlfriend, that's why I've been in max.
Hearing Officer:
That's not the kind of things I'm looking at. Things that are directly against prison policy and rules contraband, being out of bounds, refusing to comply with officers’ orders, um tattooing,
Hearing Officer:
Those are the kinds of you know, things that say that you're just making choices to just ignore what's expected of you.
Montoya said, “I haven’t been a model inmate, but I haven’t been a violent inmate.”
Despite multiple disciplinary infractions while in prison, the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole granted her parole in 2014. Her parole was terminated a few years later.
Sgt. Cutler says, “It’s very rare for us to see a female on Metro Gangs Top 10 Most Wanted."
Montoya is currently wanted for drug possession, retail theft and possession of firearms. Records show Montoya has been on the run for about a year.
Dani Rae Montoya is 32 years old. She is 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs around 120 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes and is known to shave her head. She has a tattoo on her face.
If you have any information about her call the Salt Lake Metro Gang Unit at 385-468-9768. You can remain anonymous. Or you can email a tip to GANGTIPS@UPDSL.ORG