THURSDAY, JAN. 31
. A deputy was dispatched to speak with a woman regarding identity theft. The woman told him that someone has been using her personal identifying information without her knowledge or consent. She produced a copy of her bank statement showing charges that had occurred on the same day, all run through the same company. She also had copies of collection letters from two companies attempting to collect on separate debts for a payment company account opened using her name and other identifying information. She did not open the account herself and did not know of it until she received the collection agency letters. The woman did not know who could have done this, as she had not given out the information used to open the account. This matter is still under investigation.
SUNDAY, FEB. 3
. A deputy traveling north on Hwy. 145 observed an SUV heading the opposite direction that did not have a front license plate. The deputy turned around to contact the vehicle, and as he got close, the SUV quickly turned on its left turn signal and pulled into a private drive that had a gate across it and no other evidence of traffic through the snow in the drive. As the deputy pulled behind the SUV, the male driver exited the driver's seat. After being told several times to get back in his car, the driver finally complied. The deputy noticed that he was extremely shaky and appeared nervous. When asked who's house he was going to, the driver said his aunt's house; when asked if this was her house, he stated, "It actually might be just up the road" as he pointed north. As the deputy spoke with him for just under a minute in weather around 32 degrees, he watched as a bead of sweat ran down the side of the man's face. The deputy could also see that his teeth were rotten and his cheeks were sunken in, which were all signs of someone who uses narcotics. The deputy could also see a container that he knew was a common place for narcotics users to keep their paraphernalia and drugs. The deputy asked the driver about it, and he said it was marijuana but there were items used for smoking methamphetamine inside. There was also a small medical marijuana container which had a white crystalline substance in the bottom. When asked what else was in the container the driver told the deputy it was "meth." At that point, he was placed under arrest and taken to the jail where the deputy filled out a Felony Hold for possession of Schedule II substance, which did test positive for meth.
. A deputy on patrol on Hwy. 160 observed a vehicle traveling eastbound with a non-functional passenger side headlight. He conducted a traffic stop and contacted a female driver. After telling the woman the reason why he stopped her, the deputy asked dispatch to check the woman's driver's license status as well as to check for wants/warrants. Dispatch advised that the woman had an outstanding felony warrant out of La Plata County with a $10,000 bond. The woman was placed under arrest by another deputy who had arrived to assist. The woman was transported to the Montezuma County Jail where she was served with the warrant. The vehicle was left at the scene in a safe location, and the woman was left in the care and custody of the jail staff.
. A deputy patrolling on Hwy. 160 observed a car heading east that was traveling faster than the posted speed limit and was clocked at 73 MPH. The deputy contacted the driver and three other passengers. After the deputy explained the reason for the stop, the female driver told him, "Yeah, officer I know I was speeding, but I was just lollygagging." When asked to provide her registration and proof of insurance, she said in a very nervous and hesitant way, "Officer, you can look in the computer, right? I just don't know if they are in the glove box." The deputy asked the woman to look for the papers as he asked the other passengers for their ID. As the female opened the glove box, the deputy noticed a purple fabric bag that the deputy knew was commonly used to also store drugs and paraphernalia. The female seemed very nervous as she moved the bag to the side, out of the deputy's view, and removed documents. Dispatch advised via radio of one of the backseat passenger's past criminal record involving controlled substances. Another officer responded to the scene with his K9. Once he arrived at the location, the deputy was able to individually interview each passenger, and the only part of their statements that seemed to match was their final destination, Durango. None of them remembered how long they had known each other, what the other passengers' full names were, or what exactly their final destination was in Durango. The other deputy deployed his K9, which alerted to the passenger side area of the vehicle, and the female stated that the only thing that was in the vehicle was a little marijuana in the armrest. A search revealed that the female's purse held a digital scale and wallet with $475 rolled up inside the coin compartment. The armrest revealed a small amount of marijuana. Under the container, he located a second purple fabric bag containing two rolled up one-dollar bills commonly used to snort controlled substances. Inside the glove box, the other purple fabric bag was found to contain a large amount of methamphetamine, cocaine, and Ecstasy pills (approximately 76 pills along with multiple partial pieces). Also found inside the bag was 64 separate plastic baggies with a green imprint. All substances tested positive for the above-listed controlled substances. No one in the car would claim ownership of the bag. The female driver was advised of her Miranda rights and she exercised her right to remain silent. She was transported to the jail and was left under the care of the deputies there under Felony Hold for the offenses of Unlawful Distribution, Manufacturing, Dispensing or Sale Schedule II Substances for each of meth, cocaine, MDMA/Ecstasy, as well as possession for the same items, and paraphernalia, as well as for speeding. The car was towed and impounded. All other passengers in the vehicle were released.