DEPUTIES FOLLOW BURGLARS TRACKS TO HUGE BUST IN MONTANA VISTA
3850 Justice Dr. El Paso, Texas 79938
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Deputy Jesse Tovar / PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Direct: (915) 538-2223
Pager: (915) 533-0733 (#5370)
Release Date & Time: Thursday, January 22, 2009 8:15 PM
WHO: EL PASO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE (LOWER VALLEY PATROL / CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION)
WHAT: DEPUTIES FOLLOW BURGLARS FOOT PRINTS TO HUGE BUST IN MONTANA VISTA
WHEN: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at 11:02 AM
WHERE: 3600 block of Vanderveer El Paso County, Texas (Montana Vista Area)
WHY: INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
BACKGROUND:
MONTANA VISTA- Late Wednesday morning at about 11:02 AM, Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 3600 block of Vanderveer in Montana Vista reference to an open door. Deputies arrived and met with the caller who told authorities a neighbors residence / Victim who they knew to be out of town had an open door. Deputies made entry and conducted a protective sweep of the home and observed that several household items appeared to be missing and the home also appeared to have been ransacked.
A Sheriff's Deputy on scene who is also a member of the Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue Team & specializes in tracking was able to locate and follow two shoe impressions that led from the front door and all around the residence out of the driveway and ended at the paved street. The Deputy picked up the impressions again across the street leading to a home nearby. Deputies made contact with the homeowner and explained the situation. The resident was uncooperative with authorities.
Crime Against Property Detectives were summoned to the scene.
Deputies observed several vehicles in plain view located in the lot next to the residence. In an effort to confirm the residents identification, the vehicles (a 2002 White Cadillac Escalade and a Gray 2003 Ford F-250) were checked. Both vehicles came back as stolen.
Sheriff's Detectives arrived a short time later with the search warrant in hand. Upon searching the home, Sheriff's Officials found an large sum of money (over $30,000 in cash), several weapons which included handguns & a rifle, over a pound of marijuana & a small amount of cocaine, two stolen ATV's, several flat screen TV’s, computers, and other electronic equipment was found. All items were seized & recovered as evidence.
The resident was taken into custody & placed under arrest by Sheriff's Detectives. He was identified as 28 year-old Ricardo Lopez of the same 3600 block of Vanderveer El Paso County, TX.
ARRESTED:
RICARDO LOPEZ (28)
CHARGES:
-
POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE (COCAINE) O/1 gram U/ 4 grams - $3,500 BOND
-
POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA O/4 oz. U/ 5 lbs.- $3,500 BOND
MORE CHARGES ARE PENDING
AN INVESTIGATION CONTIINUES
NO OTHER INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME
END OF NEWS RELEASE
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office in March of 2001 was the first Sheriff’s Office in the State of Texas to be Internationally Accredited from CALEA and is now the recipient of the First CALEA Tri-Arc award in Texas (4th in the Nation) to have accreditations in: Law Enforcement, Communications, Training Academy.