Thursday, October 27, 2016

Map out Trick-or-Treating routes now for a safe Halloween!

MESA COUNTY, Colo -- With just a few days left until Halloween, it's the perfect time to plan where to trick-or-treat!

Plan out the most convenient and safe route now, so you and your family can just enjoy the frights of All Hallows' Eve.

Start with an area you are familiar with and create a route. Incorporate crosswalks when you need to cross the street and try to avoid major intersections if possible.

Stay in well lit areas and out of the streets, then you can enjoy all those sweet treats!

The neighborhood social media network Nextdoor can also help. It's Treat Map tool gives you the inside scoop on who will be giving out candy Halloween night!

Nextdoor members participating in trick-or-treating this year can put a candy corn icon on their house under the neighborhood map section.

When you go to plan your route, you can see exactly who in your neighborhood is handing out candy!

Don't forget to keep an eye out for Mesa County Sheriff patrol cars Halloween night!





Crime Stoppers: Crime of the Week

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo - Crime Stoppers needs your help to locate the subject that used a lost credit card to make purchases.

On Wednesday, October 19th an elderly man lost his wallet containing his driver’s license and other personal identification documents and VISA debit/credit cards.

Shortly after, a male entered the Smoker Friendly located at 569 32 Road and purchased items using one of the lost credit cards.

The lost credit cards were also used at a few more businesses located in Collbran. The total estimated value of loss is over $500.

Security cameras took a picture of a white male, approximately 20-29 years of age about 5’8” to 5’11” tall and wearing a blue jean and a black hoodie. P

If you know the person involved 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 # 2016-63931

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Crime Stoppers Crime of the Week

FRUITA, Colo - The Fruita Police Department needs your help to identify and locate the subjects involved in a burglary.

Sometime between 6:00 am and 4:00 pm on Tuesday, September 13th unknown suspects unlawfully entered a residence located in the 300 block of N. Coulson Street in Fruita. While inside, the suspects removed ten firearms; including two Remington Arms rifles, one Winchester rifle with a gold plated trigger, one Stevens Arms rifle, one Savage Arms rifle, one Beretta pistol, four Ruger pistols, and various calibers of ammunition. The total estimated property loss is over $5,600.

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.

Fruita PD Case# 2016-6246

Monday, October 17, 2016

SVP Community Notification - Privette

Sexually Violent Predator Changes addresses in County

Willie Lee Privette, 36
MCSO Photo: 02/09/16
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 his residency. Further details about this offender and his new location, Click here and choose the Willie Privette 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. Willie Privette, 36, of Grand Junction, has served his convicted sentence in the Colorado Department of Corrections prison facilities as ordered by a Judge. He transitioned into Community Corrections while under the supervision of a local Parole Agent, who continues to supervise Willie Privette (as he remains a parolee at this time). Willie Privette registered with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office and listed his new residence with our agency, per compliance with registration laws. Willie Privette has been and 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 http://www.mesacountyunifiedsexoffenderregistry.org, 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, October 14, 2016

MCSO asking for public's help in search for firearms

MESA COUNTY, Colo -- The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help to locate the firearms used in the shooting that occurred in Molina on Wednesday, October 5, 2016. 

The two suspects fled on foot from a home on the 53100 block of LE 1/2 Road in Molina and made their way to I-70 via Highway 65 before they were taken into custody.

Investigators believe the firearms used in the shooting that injured three people may have been left or hidden along the way.

The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is asking all property owners between I-70 and Collbran to search their property for any firearm that doesn't belong to them.

Also any citizens or hikers who frequent the area, please keep an eye out for any firearms.

If found, do NOT touch. Please mark the location, and call law enforcement at (970) 242-6707.


Thursday, October 13, 2016

Human remains found in Mesa County desert

CMU Forensic Investigative Research
Station members working with MCSO
MESA COUNTY, Colo - The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is currently investigating human remains found in the north desert of Mesa County.

Tuesday hikers found skeletal remains near 16 Road and the desert on BLM land.

CMU Forensic Investigative Research
Station members working with MCSO
All day Wednesday, the Mesa County Sheriff's Office, the Mesa County Coroner's Office and Mesa County Surveyor worked with students and faculty from the Colorado Mesa University Forensic Investigative Research Station to recover the remains.

CMU’s Forensic Investigative Research Station (FIRS) is one of only six forensic investigation facilities in the world and the only one located in an arid climate at a high elevation. FIRS offers undergraduate students the opportunity to study and research the decomposition of human remains.

The students helped investigators excavate the remains and process the scene.

MCSO deputies map the site with
County Survveyor
The Sheriff's Office is working closely with the Coroner's Office to positively identify the remains that are believed to belong to an adult.

Investigators are currently reviewing missing person cases to see if the remains may be related.

The circumstances surrounding the human remains will continue to be under investigation.

Arrest made in 1989 murder case

Rafael Aguialar Garcia, 67
Photo MCSO
MESA COUNTY, Colo - A suspected wanted in a 1989 murder in Mesa County was taken into custody Monday in Denver.

Rafael Aguialar Garcia, 67, was arrested by Denver Police Officers Monday on a charge of Murder in the First Degree.

Charles Porter was shot and killed July 4, 1989 on the 3600 block of F Road in Palisade.  A witness at the time identified Garcia as the shooter.

In 2009, the case was handed over to Mexican Authorities where Garcia was tried.

Officers with the Denver Police Department made contact with Garcia and arrested him on the Mesa County warrant still outstanding related to the case.

Garcia was transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility where he is currently being held without bond.

The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is now working with the Mesa County District Attorney's Office on how to proceed with his case.

District Attorney Dan Rubinstein was notified of Garcia's arrest on October 12.

"I am told of a prior unsuccessful prosecution that occurred in Mexico for the same murder, but have not personally reviewed any documents or fully gathered the information about what occurred with that effort," said Rubinstein.

Under Article 4 of the Mexican Federal Penal Code, the Mexican authorities may prosecute crimes that occurred in other countries under circumstances where (1) the accused is in Mexico; (2) the accused has not been tried in the country where he committed the crime, and; (3) the crime is one that is also a crime in Mexico.

"The information I have now received is that Mexico had previously refused to extradite Mr. Garcia because he was a Mexican citizen, but that Mexican authorities prosecuted him for the murder in Mesa County with the cooperation of the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office," said Rubinstein. "While it is my belief, based on the limited information I have at this time, that the law does not prohibit my office from prosecuting Mr. Garcia for the murder on U.S. Soil. However, because I did not participate in the decision to cooperate with the Mexican authorities in their efforts and have not received the documentation on it, I do not know if some other agreement that we would not prosecute was made in that respect by another local official."

"Given the nature of the offense, the Twenty First Judicial District Attorney’s Office intends to pursue every legal avenue to prosecute Mr. Garcia here in Mesa County." said Rubinstein.

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

To view the arrest warrant click here.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

MOLINA SHOOTING UPDATE: All suspects believed to be in custody

MESA COUNTY, Colo -- Mesa County Sheriff's Office believes all suspects involved in Wednesday night's shooting in Molina are in custody.

Two suspects were arrested at 9:35 this morning after several citizens reported seeing two men attempting to hitchhike on Highway 65 near I-70.

The suspects were not armed when they were arrested on mountainous terrain near Highway 65 and I-70 by the Roller Dam.

The two men in custody includes 23-year-old Trevaun Faison, whom we cautioned the public about early this morning.

Several agencies were involved in the investigation and apprehension of the two men. They include the Mesa County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team, Grand Junction Police SWAT Team, Palisade Police Department, Collbran Marshal's Office, De Beque Marshal's Office, Colorado State Patrol, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Colorado Department of Transportation, who posted messages along I-70 warning drivers to not pick up hitchhikers.

I-70 eastbound was also closed for a time while the suspects were taken into custody.

The shooting occurred around 10:00 p.m. Wednesday at a home on the 53100 block of LE 1/2 Road in Molina.

The three male gunshot victims traveled to two different locations to seek help, one in Molina, the other in Collbran. They were taken to St. Mary’s Hospital; their conditions are not available at this time.

The victims are between the ages of 30-70 and believed to be residents of Mesa County.

The motive of the shooting is still under investigation.

Because witness interviews still need to be conducted, the names and mugshots of the suspects in custody are being withheld. The court documents associated with this case are under seal by court order.

Thank you to all of the people who called in information about these suspects. The public's role was vital in bringing a peaceful resolution to this situation quickly.


Two shooting suspects in custody

MESA COUNTY, Colo -  Two suspects in last night's shooting in Molina were taken into custody this morning.

After a long search they were taken into custody at about 9:30 a.m. on mountainous terrain near Highway 65 and I-70 by the Roller Dam.

I-70 eastbound was shutdown while they were apprehended. It is now open.

This is still an ongoing active investigation.

Click here for the previous report.

Search for suspects of Molina shooting

Trevaun Faison, 23
Wanted
MOLINA, Colo – The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office is looking for three men believed to be involved in a shooting Wednesday night in Molina.

Trevaun Jzhonta Faison, 23, was last seen in the Molina and Collbran area on foot late Wednesday night wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, black pants, black and white basketball style shoes.

Faison is a black male, 6’01” weighs 170 lbs, has black hair and has ties to Florida and North Carolina.

He is possibly with two other men. One is described as a darker complected black male, 5’09”-6’01” medium to heavier build and has a cornrows hairstyle. He was last seen wearing an unknown color of sweat pants. His face and nose are described as wider than Faison’s.

The third male is described as black or Hispanic, about 5’07” having a thin build with some parts of his clothing blue colored.

These people are considered armed and dangerous. If you see them call 911, do NOT approach.

Three people were hurt in the shooting that happened just after 10 p.m. in Molina. The victims went to two different locations to call for help, one in Molina, and one in Collbran.

Collbran Crime Scene
They were taken to St. Mary’s Hospital; their conditions are not available at this time.

An emergency notification went out to area residents asking them to stay inside and lock their doors and keep an eye out for the three suspects.

There is a possibility they will try to steal a car or hide out in a local neighborhood, that is why we are asking the public to stay vigilant and report anything suspicious.

It is always a good idea to check on your neighbors and keep an eye on your cars. Report anything out of the ordinary immediately.

Again call 911, do NOT approach these subjects, they are considered armed and dangerous.





Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Crime Stoppers Crime of the Week



GRAND JUNCTION, Colo - Crime Stoppers needs your help identifying and locating a person involved in a burglary.

Shortly before 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 24th, an unknown suspect unlawfully entered Strive located at 950 Grand Avenue through an open window. Once inside, the suspect stole a Samsung S6 cell phone with a white rechargeable case.

Security cameras captured a white male in his 20’s and last seen wearing yellow shorts, a green tank top with a yellow emblem and a baseball cap. The security cameras captured photos of 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# 2016-50757

Monday, October 3, 2016

Do you recognize this person?


MESA COUNTY, Colo - The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is asking the public's help to identify a woman possibly posing as a real estate agent to gain access to people's homes.

The woman seen in this photo was caught in someone's backyard where items were stolen from shortly after.

Deputies have reason to believe she may be posing as a real estate agent and/or a restoration expert telling homeowners she finds items and refurbishes them.

If you have any information about who this person is, email us or call 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.

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Missing Craig man found deceased

Scott Burke, 43
MESA COUNTY, Colo – Friday afternoon Mesa County deputies responded to a report of person found deceased on BLM land west of Lands End Road.

Once deputies arrived at the remote location, they confirmed the vehicle found with the deceased person was the blue and white Bronco belonging to missing Craig resident Scott Burke.

The Mesa County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy Saturday morning and identified the person found as Scott Burke. His cause and manner of death are still under investigation pending toxicology results.

Burke, 43, went missing over the weekend when he didn’t return home Saturday from a camping trip.

The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office along with several other agencies, volunteers and family members searched for three days. The exact location of where Burke was planning to camp was unknown, only a general area of the North Desert or the Bookcliff area west of De Beque.

Burke was found Friday nowhere near the 700 sq mile search area. He was found a few miles west of Lands End Road on BLM land.

The circumstances surrounding his death are still being investigated.