Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Crime Stoppers Crime of the Week



GRAND JUNCTION, Colo - Crime Stoppers is requesting information that will lead to the identification of the suspect that stole items from Kohl’s Department Store located at 636 Market Street on Tuesday, July 19th around 3 p.m.

Security cameras captured a Hispanic male in his late 30’s. He wore blue jeans with a yellow plaid shirt and blue baseball cap. The suspect was last seen leaving on a bicycle.

If you know the identity or location of the subject involved in this crime, please call Crime Stoppers at 241-7867.

Information reported to Crime Stoppers that leads to an arrest can earn you up to $1,000 cash reward and you will remain completely anonymous. For more information, see us at www.241stop.com.

GJPD Case# 2016-42582

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Search for missing Craig man suspended


Scott Burke, 43
Missing
MESA COUNTY, Colo - After exhausting all leads Mesa County Sheriff’s deputies are suspending the search for 43-year-old Craig resident Scott Burke.

Burke was supposed to return Saturday from a camping trip, but no one has seen or heard from him since he left Friday.

MCSO deputies search for Burke
Three days of searching the Mesa County desert by air and on the ground has turned up no sign of Burke's whereabouts.

Today sheriff's deputies searched along with the Search and Rescue ATV Team, 3 Civil Air Patrol planes, Centurylink's helicopter, the Bureau of Land Management and local volunteers.

Monday's air search was done by Centurylink's helicopter and one Civil Air Patrol plane.

The exact location of where Burke was planning on camping is unknown, only a general area of the North Desert or the Bookcliff area west of De Beque.

This is a large area and it was searched extensively. Over two days Civil Air Patrol searched the approximate 700 sq miles from Highway 139 to Cameo and up into Garfield County.  ATV search teams went down all access roads into the desert area.

The search area covered 16 Road to 29 Road, the canyons that access the Bookcliffs, the Little Bookcliffs Wild Horse area, Cameo, De Beque and into parts of Garfield County.

Burke's Car
Last seen driving
Mesa County Sheriff's deputies remain in contact with family members and will resume the search if more information or new leads come to light about Burke's whereabouts.

It is believed he may be driving in a white and blue Bronco. These are pictures of his Bronco provided by family members.

Burke is 5'11" and weighs 175lbs with brown hair and green eyes.

If anyone remembers seeing him camping over the weekend or has information about his whereabouts, please call law enforcement at (970) 242-6707.


Monday, September 26, 2016

Craig man missing in local desert


Scott Burke, 43
Missing
MESA COUNTY, Colo - Mesa County Sheriff’s deputies are looking for Craig resident Scott Burke, 43, who is overdue from a camping trip.
Burke's Car
Last seen driving

Burke was supposed to return Saturday, but no one has seen or heard from him since he left Friday.

Burke could be anywhere in the desert from 16 Road to De Beque. He was looking to go camping either in the North Desert or the Bookcliff area west of De Beque.

He may be driving in a white and blue Bronco. These are pictures of his Bronco provided by family members.

Burke is 43 years old, 5'11" and weighs 175lbs with brown hair and green eyes.
Burke's Car
Last seen driving

Burke's Car
Last seen driving
Mesa County Sheriff's deputies will fly over the area this afternoon in hopes of narrowing the search area and pinpointing his location.

Civil Air Patrol and the Bureau of Land Management are assisting in the search.

If anyone remembers seeing him camping over the weekend or has information about his whereabouts, please call law enforcement at (970) 242-6707.


Friday, September 23, 2016

Clifton man arrested for attempting to rob a bank

CLIFTON, Colo - One person is in custody after an unsuccessful robbery at a Clifton bank.

It happened at 11:23 a.m. Friday at the Alpine Bank located at 3243 I-70 Business Loop in Clifton.

A male suspect wearing a mask pulled into the drive-through and passed a note with a plastic grocery bag to the teller. The note demanded $50,000.

John Worsham, 49
MCSO Photo 9-25-16
The teller called 911 immediately and did not hand over any money.

As the suspect was pulling out of the drive-through, Palisade Police Officers in the area stopped and arrested him without incident.

No one was hurt, and no weapons were used or found later by investigators.

The suspect was identified as John Worsham, 49, of Clifton. He was booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility on the charge of Attempted Robbery (class 5 felony).

The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.

For updated bond amounts on any inmate currently in our jail, visit our Inmate Inquiry System webpage.



Thursday, September 22, 2016

Wanted suspect arrested after standoff in Clifton

Adam Phillips, 27
MCSO Photo 10-30-15
CLIFTON, Colo -  A Clifton man was arrested Wednesday after a nearly 3-hour standoff with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office and the Grand Junction Police Department.

Adam Phillips, 27, was wanted on several warrants out of the Grand Junction Police Department for charges including two counts of attempted 1st degree assault on a peace officer, and weapon offenses.

Grand Junction Police and Mesa County Sheriff's Office Street Crimes Units learned Phillips was living at a home on the 3200 block of Arrowleaf Court.

At 6:20 p.m. a reverse 911 went out to a homes within a quarter mile radius advising residences to stay inside.

When Phillips refused to come out of the home, a search warrant was obtained and a joint GJPD MCSO SWAT team was called in.

Repeated attempts to communicate with Phillips were met with no response.

At 9:20 p.m. members of the SWAT team took Phillips into custody. The community was notified a short time later.

Phillips is being held in the Mesa County Detention Facility.

For updated bond amounts on any inmate currently in our jail, visit our Inmate Inquiry System webpage.

We want to remind people to make sure your cell phones and emails are signed up for the Emergency Notification System. Reverse 911 calls automatically go out to landlines, but this day and age most people have cell phones. SIGN UP HERE. You can sign up your home, work and even your kids schools for alerts. Stay up to date with what is going on in your neighborhood. Make sure to customize your alerts. Learn how here. 


Crime Stoppers Crime of the Week


GRAND JUNCTION, Colo - This week Crime Stoppers of Mesa County needs your help in locating the suspect involved in taking a wallet from an elderly man.

At approximately 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 10th, Grand Junction Police were dispatched to a robbery call in the 1900 block of North Avenue. 

The 79-year-old male victim was found assaulted outside his hotel room. The security cameras caught an image of what is believed to be the male suspect. 

If you know the identity or location of the subject involved in this crime, please call Crime Stoppers at 241-7867. Information reported to Crime Stoppers that leads to an arrest can earn you up to $1,000 cash reward and you will remain completely anonymous. 

For more information, see us at www.241stop.com. 

GJPD Case# 2016-54483

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Do you recognize this person or car?


Suspect vehicle on the far right
Surveillance video
CLIFTON, Colo -- The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help to identify the people involved in a crime that occurred Saturday.

Surveillance video captured what is believed to be a Toyota Camry pulling up to Domino's Pizza at 510 30 Road.

The passenger got out and stole the delivery Domino's sign from a top a vehicle. 

The power cord was ripped, causing minor damage to the employee's vehicle, and damaging the sign its self.

The suspect's vehicle appears to have faded paint on the hood and trunk. 

If you know anything about this crime or the identity of the people involved, contact Crime Stoppers at (970) 241-STOP. Information leading to an arrest can earn you up to $1,000 cash reward and you can remain anonymous.

#16-30733

Monday, September 19, 2016

Sexually Violent Predator Community Notification

Sexually Violent Predator Changes Address within County

MESA COUNTY, Colo - This public notice is intended to make our community aware that a registered sex offender, classified as a sexually violent predator, is moving within the county. Further details about this offender and his new location, Click here and choose the Mark Allen Pagel Community Bulletin from our County web page about sexually violent predators in Mesa County.

A 'sexually violent predator' is a term branded by the Colorado Sex Offender Management Board, who classifies a convicted sex offender with this additional descriptor. Mark Allen Pagel, 39, of Mesa County, has served his convicted sentence in the Colorado Department of Corrections prison facilities as ordered by a Judge. Pagel registered with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office and listed his new residence with our agency, per compliance with registration laws. Pagel remains current with all his registration requirements.

All community notification bulletins for all current SVPs registered with our agency are on our agency website, to view them, click here. In addition, we highly recommend you watch a 12 minute video that talks about SVPs and all registered sex offenders, resources and other useful information specific to Mesa County. For current information on all registered sex offenders in Mesa County, visit our countywide joint website, and be sure to choose the link to enroll up to five physical addresses and be notified if a registered sex offender or new registered sex offender moves into a designated area around the addresses you input. This is an extremely useful tool.

If you have information regarding current criminal activity of this or any other offender, please call 911 for an emergency. If you observe this offender engaging in any high risk or inappropriate behavior, please contact the Mesa County Sheriff's Office, patrol units, by calling 911 or (970) 242-6707. If you have questions or need education handouts, please contact Mesa County Sex Offender Registrar Jennifer Jenkel at (970) 244-3206, or her direct supervisor Sgt. Henry Stoffel (970) 244-3973.

Most sex crimes are never reported and most offenders are never detected. The greatest risk of sex offense is from people you know. The information provided herein (on the embedded community bulletin) is current and accurate as of the date, but is subject to change.

The purpose of this notification is to enhance public safety and protection. Vigilantism, or use of this information to harass, threaten or intimidate anyone associated with this notification will not be tolerated.

This law enforcement agency has no legal authority to direct where a sex offender may live (however, we make it public information so citizens can be aware and educate themselves). Unless court restrictions exist, they are constitutionally free to live wherever they choose. Sex offenders have always lived in our community, but they were not required to notify law enforcement of their residence until registration laws were implemented pursuant to the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act. Law enforcement may now share that information with members of the community, and in the case of sexually violent predators, law enforcement must actively notify citizens. This blog posting is only one of the means we are getting this information out to citizens of Mesa County.

Friday, September 16, 2016

MCSO asks public help with neighborhood drive-by shooting

Private surveillance camera photo
CLIFTON, Colo - Mesa County Sheriff's investigators are asking for the public's help in identifying the person or persons involved in an early morning drive-by shooting. 

The shooting happened at 5:15 am Thursday morning on the 480 block of Aspen Grove Dr in Clifton. 

Multiple of rounds were fired into an occupied residence and surrounding cars. No one was hurt.

Witnesses told deputies a vehicle was heard speeding away from the area west on D 7/8 Road, just after the shots. 

A private surveillance camera on a home in the area caught what is believed to be a Ford Explorer model SUV.

Investigators believe this is an isolated incident.

Any information about this crime is asked to call our Witness Tip Line at (970) 244-3526 or Crime Stoppers at (970) 241-STOP.  Information reported to Crime Stoppers that leads to an arrest can earn you up to $1,000 cash reward and you will remain completely anonymous.


Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Search warrant information determined to be incorrect



MESA COUNTY, Colo - In the early hours of this morning, officers with the Grand Junction Police Department received information about a large amount of methamphetamine at a home in Clifton. The reporting party provided detailed information regarding the amount of drugs in the home and where they were located, as well as information regarding firearms in the home. The reporting party was able to provide an exact address of the home, using a GPS map.

Based on this information, surveillance was conducted on the home, while officers with the Grand Junction Police Department, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Western Colorado Drug Task Force waited for a search warrant to be prepared and signed by a judge. Once that was obtained, officers served the search warrant early this morning.

Upon initial contact at the residence, officers received no answer at the door. As is standard protocol when probable cause has been developed that illegal or dangerous activity is occurring, and armed with the signed search warrant, officers forced entry into the home, using a breaching tool. During entry into the residence, several windows of the home were broken.

Ultimately, officers contacted the residents inside the address, and determined that they were not the suspects that officers were looking for. Further investigation determined that the suspects named by the original reporting party had lived at the address at one time, but had since moved away from the address, which was now occupied by a family with several children.

We are deeply regretful of the experience to which this family was subjected. We have met with the family, including the children, to explain in detail how such a mistake was made. We are currently in the process of replacing the windows that were broken, repairing the front door, and arranging for new carpet to be installed, as we are concerned about possible glass in the existing carpet.

Ultimately, the most important thing law enforcement can do after an incident like this is carefully evaluate what happened, and determine how we can prevent such a mistake from happening again. We will be doing just that.

We are so grateful that no one was hurt, and we want to publicly apologize to the family, and acknowledge what a frightening and disconcerting experience this must have been for them.

We are committed to being transparent in our operations, and that includes the bad, as well as the good. We appreciate the support and encouragement we receive from our community, and we remain dedicated to being worthy of your trust.

Crime Stoppers Crime of the Week

Security Camera Photo
MESA COUNTY, Colo - The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office needs your help to identify and locate a male subject that was involved in criminal activity.

On Saturday, August 27th between 11:00 am and 12:00 pm unknown suspects broke the window of a black Toyota Tundra parked at Kodel’s Canyon trail head in Fruita and stole a purse. A credit card from the stolen purse was used by a male subject at a Loco Convenience store in Fruita. 

Video security cameras capture a male subject with a mustache and dark hair, wearing glasses and a gray printed t-shirt with blue jeans. 

If you know the identity or location of the subjects involved in this crime, please call Crime Stoppers at 241-7867. Information reported to Crime Stoppers that leads to an arrest can earn you up to $1,000 cash reward and you will remain completely anonymous.

 For more information, see us at www.241stop.com.

MCSO Case# 2016-28301

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Crime Stoppers Crime of the Week


GRAND JUNCTION, Colo - This week Crime Stoppers is requesting information that will lead to the identification of the suspect that stole over the counter medication from Rite Aid located at 400 N. 1st Street.

Shortly after 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20th, the Grand Junction Police Department responded to a theft in progress at Rite Aid. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 25-35 years old, with tattoos on his eyelid, face and right forearm. He was last seen wearing a white polo shirt with blue stripes, blue jeans and a black baseball cap. To view a picture of the suspect, visit www.241stop.com.

If you know the subject in this crime, please call Crime Stoppers at 241-7867. When you call Crime Stoppers and give them information on someone that gets arrested they will pay you a cash reward up to $1,000 without asking your name. If you want more information, go to the website at www.241STOP.com.


GJPD Case# 2016-22529

Sunday, September 4, 2016

Suspect killed in officer-involved shooting


GRAND JUNCTION, Colo – An officer with the Grand Junction Police Department was involved in a fatal officer-involved shooting Sunday afternoon after responding to a domestic situation at the Shamrock Mobile Home Park.

At 3:47 p.m. a woman called 911 concerned for the safety of her children still inside her home with her husband who was acting erratically. Initial reports said he may be armed with several knives.

Concerned for the welfare of the children, Grand Junction Police Officers made contact with the man inside the home at 2845 North Ave #4. A shooting occurred shortly thereafter, and the man died at the scene. No one else was hurt in the shooting.

North Ave near 28 ½ Road was closed for a short time due to the investigation. It is now back open in both directions.

The Critical Incident Response Team was activated per standard practice. It is used for an investigation that involves an officer/deputy shooting. In this situation, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigating agency on this case, with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies in the County.

The Critical Incident Response Team is comprised of the following agencies: Grand Junction Police Department, Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, Fruita Police Department, Palisade Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, 21st Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and Colorado Bureau of Investigation. It is generally activated when a law enforcement agency is involved in a critical incident to ensure a complete and accurate investigation.

(Release from the Grand Junction Police Department)

Saturday, September 3, 2016

UPDATE: Clifton deaths ruled homicide and suicide by Mesa County Coroner


MESA COUNTY, Colo - The Mesa County Coroner’s Office has completed its examination regarding the deaths of Aaron Marble, a 24-year-old male and Alyssabeth Sawyer, a 23-year-old female; both residents of Clifton, CO. 

They were the individuals involved in the incident off of 32 1/8th Rd in Clifton, CO on September 1, 2016. 

The Mesa County Coroner has determined the cause of death for Alyssabeth Sawyer to be gunshot wounds of the chest and the manner of death is homicide. The cause of death for Aaron Marble is gunshot wound of head and the manner of death is suicide. 

The case is still under investigation by the Mesa County Sheriff's Office.


Friday, September 2, 2016

Two people found dead overnight in Clifton

CLIFTON, Colo – The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the deaths of a male and female in their 20s found dead in their home overnight in Clifton.

Deputies found them when an out-of-state family member became concerned for their safety and asked for a welfare check.

The Mesa County Coroner’s Office is conducting an autopsy and will release cause and manner of death when available.

There were no immediate signs of forced entry.

The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office believes this was an isolated incident and there are no outstanding subjects.

The death investigation is still active and ongoing.

If anyone has information about this crime call our Witness Tip Line at (970) 244-3526 or Crime Stoppers at (970) 241-STOP.

Stage I fire restrictions lifted effective September 3, 2016

MESA COUNTY, Colo - The Mesa County Sheriff, and the Bureau of Land Management release county-wide Stage I fire restrictions effective 12:01 a.m. September 3rd.

“It has been a hot, dry summer in Mesa County,” said Mesa County Sheriff Matt Lewis. “We genuinely appreciate citizen cooperation to help reduce the risk of human caused wildfire.”

Fire officials encourage the public to remain cautious with activities that could ignite wildfire even as dry conditions improve. They warn that some areas may remain dry with heavy vegetation ready to burn.

“We would like to remind everyone that while the fall burn season runs from September 1, 2016 to October 31, 2016,” said Grand Junction Fire Chief Ken Watkins. “Please refrain from permitted open burning until stage I fire restrictions are lifted on September 3, 2016. Burn permits may be obtained from the Mesa County Health Department, or your local fire district.”

"People in our area have a good understanding of wildfire and responded responsibly to the fire restrictions," said Jeremy Spetter UCR West Zone, fire management officer. "We understood this would impact how people enjoyed their public lands and are happy we received some moisture but we do live in an arid climate that is vulnerable to wildfire. While it is not required, we do encourage the public to use a fire ring whenever possible. Also remember to always ensure your campfire is out prior to leaving your campsite.”