PUC hearing held on moving-company violations against Rafael Benjamin Rojas

An administrative law judge at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission heard staff evidence March 4 in proceeding 25G-0031HHG that alleges Rafael Benjamin Rojas, doing business as Huffy Puffy Moving With Ease, operated as a mover without a PUC permit and failed to file required proof of insurance.

The case centers on a civil penalty assessment notice, CPAN No. 141772, issued after investigator Joseph Potts sent email inquiries and located online advertisements and a Facebook page for the business. Investigator Potts testified that the CPAN alleges two violations: operating without a permit and failing to file evidence of insurance with the commission. Potts said staff doubled the fines because of a prior, related PUC decision within the past 24 months and cited commission rule 6019 as authority to seek doubled penalties.

Why this matters: movers of household goods in Colorado must hold a PUC-issued permit and keep proof of insurance on file with the commission. Staff told the ALJ it found no evidence that Huffy Puffy or the associated trade name had ever filed insurance or been permitted in PUC records.

Staff presented exhibits including a 2024 PUC decision that named related respondents and found prior violations, Secretary of State registration records showing a trade name for Rafael Benjamin Rojas, a driver-license dossier, a Facebook page and email correspondence used to solicit a moving quote, and an affidavit showing service of the CPAN. Potts testified that he located multiple business names and aliases linked to Rojas (for example, Me Mama Boss Moving and several other trade names) and that advertisements and a reply to his solicitation showed the moving service was offering labor and a truck for hire. Potts told the hearing, "I would ask that the respondent be found in violation of these statutes once again for operating without a permit and insurance. I ask that the full amount of the civil penalty be assessed. And once again, I'd be asking that another cease and desist order be issued to the respondent."

Potts testified that the violation date listed in the CPAN is Nov. 4, 2024, and that no proof of insurance was on file with the PUC as of March 4, 2025. He described prior enforcement history: a PUC decision issued Sept. 11, 2024, and an earlier proceeding from 2018 (referenced by staff as proceeding 18G-072HHG and decision R19-0179). The 2024 decision ordered respondents to cease operations and referenced an earlier 2018 CPAN; that decision did not assess an additional monetary civil penalty in 2024 because the ALJ required respondents to focus on satisfying the civil penalty assessed in 2018.

Staff moved to admit multiple exhibits into the record; the ALJ admitted them. Staff also arranged for service of the CPAN through the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; the sheriff's affidavit in the record indicates personal service on Jan. 2, 2025, at a Lakewood residential address used in prior investigations.

Administrative Law Judge Kelly Rosenberg said she would take the matter under advisement and draft a written decision, likely to be issued in the coming weeks. The ALJ closed the record at the hearing's end. Staff asked for an expedited transcript for potential use in the related reopened case.

No final commission decision was announced at the hearing. The ALJ's forthcoming written decision will determine whether the alleged violations are sustained and whether civil penalties (including any doubled amounts under rule 6019) will be imposed.