Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Arrest made in missing person case

4:10 pm Tuesday Update:

Mesa County Sheriff’s investigators are now able to release the name of the of the victim related to yesterday’s arrest of Rebecca Walker.

The victim is identified as Kyle Free, 32, of Clifton. Free was reporting missing in April 2018.

Anyone with information regarding this homicide investigation is encouraged to contact MCSO Investigators at the tip line (970)244-3526 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at (970) 241-STOP.

All documents related to this case have been sealed by the court.

This remains an ongoing active investigation.

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Previous:

CLIFTON, Colo – Mesa County Sheriff deputies took Rebecca Walker, 34, of Clifton into custody this afternoon after a warrant was obtained for her arrest. She was arrested at 455 ½ Mesa Lakes Street in Clifton.

Walker is facing charges of Murder in the First Degree (Class 1 Felony), Conspiracy to Commit Murder in the First Degree (Class 1 Felony), Tampering with Evidence (Class 6 Felony), and Abuse of a Corpse (Class 2 Misdemeanor).

Walker’s arrest comes as a result of an ongoing investigation into a missing person’s report that was made in April of 2018.

All documents related to this case have been sealed by the court.

This remains an ongoing active investigation.

Walker is being held at the Mesa County Detention Facility on a No Bond Hold. For updated bond amounts for any inmate in our facility, please visit our website.

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Scam Alert: Elaborate credit card scam includes unknowing accessories to the crime


MESA COUNTY, Colo - Mesa County Sheriff’s deputies have been made aware of an elaborate credit card scam that promises extra cash or promises future business to local hotels.

So far deputies have seen two versions of the multi-state scam. The first involves the scammer making a fake reservation at a local hotel or bed and breakfast. The scammer then “mistakenly” sends a package to the hotel early and asks the hotel to forward the package to an address. Deputies discovered the items in the package were purchased with a credit card stolen from a different state. The scammer sends the package to a third party (a hotel) to forward on to another location to hide where they live. The hotel loses out on the reservation and unknowingly helped facilitate a crime.

In the second version of the scam, the package full of items purchased by an out-of-state stolen credit card is sent to someone who has signed up to earn extra cash. The scammer sends the package to the “helper” and then sends a packing slip for the package to be forwarded on. In the recent report deputies took, the “helper” was paid $30 for the first package to make them think this was a real job, but then never paid again.

In both versions of the scam, the packages contain items purchased by stolen credit cards from another state. The people who forward the packages on are actually unknowingly helping to facilitate a crime.

Red Flags

The scammer has a thick foreign accent and may call from a (970) phone number or a 877 number.

You receive a package and are asked to forward it on to a different address. 

If it is too good to be true....IT IS!

What to do

If you receive a package in a similar manner, the best thing to do is return to sender and report the incident to local police.

Mesa County man arrested for sex crimes on child

James Henson, 35
MCSO Photo
MESA COUNTY, Colo – Mesa County Sheriff’s deputies arrested James Henson, 35, of Mesa County Tuesday after a warrant was obtained for his arrest.

Henson is facing the following charges:
  • 4 counts Sexual Assault on a Child Position of Trust (Class 3 Felony) 
  • 4 counts Sexual Assault on a Child Pattern of Abuse (Class 3 Felony) 
  • 4 counts Aggravated Incest (Class 3 Felony) 
The charges stem from four separate alleged incidents that occurred between May 2015 and September 2018.

Henson is currently being held in the Mesa County Detention Facility on No Bond until First Appearance. For updated bond amounts on any inmate currently in our facility visit our website.

Monday, November 12, 2018

Fruita man arrested on kidnapping charges

MESA COUNTY, Colo - At 12:37 this afternoon deputies responded to a report of an adult female being held against her will in a car.

The female told deputies her boyfriend, identified as Raymond Villarreal, 34, of Fruita, refused to let her out of the car after an argument. She said she was trapped in the car for several hours while Villarreal drove over the Mesa and into Delta County before returning to the Grand Junction area.

The female attempted to call 911 several times, but hung up before dispatchers could respond. When she was able to successfully make a call to 911, Villarreal stopped the car and left on foot in the area of Pritchard Mesa Ct and J Road.

Colorado State Patrol troopers and Mesa County Sheriff’s deputies were able to locate Villarreal walking nearby. The female was found safe.

Villarreal was arrested without incident and faces the following charges:
  • Second Degree Kidnapping (Class 4 Felony)
  • Assault in the Third Degree (Class 1 Misdemeanor)
  • Obstruction of a Telephone (Class 1 Misdemeanor)
  • Domestic Violence 
  • Drove Motor Vehicle while License under Restraint or Suspended
The case is still under investigation.

Villarreal is being held at the Mesa County Detention Facility. For updated bond amounts visit our website.

The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind the public that you can also text 911 in an emergency. If you don’t have enough cell phone reception to make a call, you may still be able to send a text message. You should continue to make a voice call to 911 whenever possible, however if you are unable, use the Text to 911 option. Learn more about text to 911 here.

Grand Junction man arrested on kidnapping charges

David Gillespie, 31
MCSO Photo
MESA COUNTY, Colo - At 2:53 this morning, Mesa County Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a report of a man breaking into a home on the 2900 block of Clarinet Lane and holding the occupants hostage.

The male victim told deputies he woke up to the suspect holding a knife to his throat. He and a woman who was staying at the home, were then held hostage in the living room for about an hour. The male victim was able to escape and run to a neighbor’s house to call 911. He suffered minor injuries.

The female victim told deputies the then suspect pushed her out of the house and they both left the area in her car. The female said she was assaulted in the process. Deputies were able to track down the vehicle to a parking lot near the Fruita Welcome Center. The suspect was arrested without further incident.

The suspect was known to the victims. He is identified as David Gillespie, 31, of Grand Junction.

Gillespie is facing the following charges:
  • 2 counts of Second Degree Kidnapping (Class 2 Felony) 
  • First Degree Burglary (Class 3 Felony) 
  • Aggravated Robbery (Class 3 Felony) 
  • 2 counts of False Imprisonment (Class 2 Misdemeanor) 
  • Criminal Mischief (Class 3 Misdemeanor) 
  • Second Degree Criminal Tampering (Class 2 Misdemeanor) 
  • Felony Menacing (Class 5 Felony) 
  • Harassment (Class 3 Misdemeanor) 
  • Two counts of Assault in the Third Degree (Class 1 Misdemeanor) 
  • Two counts of Reckless Endangerment (Class 3 Misdemeanor) 
  • Menacing (Class 2 Misdemeanor) 
  • Domestic Violence 
This case is still under investigation.

Gillespie is being held at the Mesa County Detention Facility. For updated bond amounts visit our website. 

Monday, November 5, 2018

Law Enforcement Records Personnel Week


Join us in recognizing the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office records personnel for their crucial role in the criminal justice system.

Governor John Hickenlooper declared November 5, 2018 through November 9, 2018 the first ever Law Enforcement Records Personnel Week to honor the vital service this dedicated group of individuals provide.

Records personnel assist law enforcement by helping with identifying suspects, relaying vital information from other criminal justice agencies, as well as processing and maintaining the agency’s criminal justice records.

Mesa County Sheriff’s Office records personnel also provides the public with a number of vital services. If you ever need a background check for a new job, or a concealed hand gun permit, this is the group of professionals who are happy to assist you. Services also include criminal fingerprinting, releasing arrest records and case reports, civil actions, maintaining the sex offender registry, and processing bonds and warrants for individuals.

You can learn more about what services are offered in our Records Lobby on our website.

If you get the chance, please stop by this week and thank our records personnel for their continued hard work and service to our community.