A 29-year old Arizona man suspected of robbing a Durango marijuana dispensary with an AR-15 rifle Tuesday night is in jail after a K-9 unit tracked him into the hills above Bodo Park.
Alexander Johnson of Chandler confessed to the armed robbery and said he acted alone, according to Durango Police. Johnson told police he graduated from high school in Farmington and has ties to the area.
According to the Durango Police Department, officers were dispatched around 8:30 p.m. to an armed robbery in progress at The Greenery, 208 Parker Ave. in Bodo Industrial Park.
Initial information indicated the robber was wearing a full-face mask, a dark-colored hoodie and gloves, and was armed with an AR-15 rifle, a semi-automatic rifle based on the U.S military’s M16 rifle.
According to the report, Johnson confronted a delivery driver dropping off marijuana at the door of The Greenery, which allowed employees inside to get into a secured portion of the business.
Johnson allegedly stole a large amount of marijuana. Durango Police Lt. Ray Shupe said via email authorities are serving a search warrant on the vehicle, so the exact weight of the recovered marijuana is unclear. The invoice from the delivery driver shows 6 pounds of marijuana was being delivered, he said.
Shortly after the robbery report, a La Plata County Sheriff’s Office deputy spotted a person who fit the description of the initial dispatch report at another business a short distance away. A man was loading a duffel bag into the trunk of a black 2012 Hyundai Sonata with New Mexico license plates, the report says. As the deputy approached, the man fled into a heavily vegetated area above Bodo.
“Officers and the deputy approached the car to make sure no one else was inside,” the report says. “They observed a large military style duffel bag in the trunk. They could smell the strong odor of marijuana and could see the butt end of an AR-15 rifle.”
A La Plata County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit was called to track the suspect, who was located and taken into custody. Police say the incident remains under investigation, but they believe Johnson acted alone.
Johnson was booked into La Plata County Jail on suspicion of aggravated robbery and possession of weapons by a previous offender. His bond was set at $75,000.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
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